DEFENCE

Astute Class Submarines

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which submarines are to be replaced by the three Astute class submarines on order; and what their planned dates for decommissioning are.

Adam Ingram: We are not directly replacing our existing nuclear attack submarines platform by platform. The capability currently provided by the Swiftsure and Trafalgar classes will in future be met by the Astute Class.

Astute Class Submarines

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he expects HMS Astute to become fully operational.

Adam Ingram: HMS Astute is expected to become fully operational in 2009 after a period of extensive weapon system proving trials. The Submarine will be available to the Fleet for limited operations before these trials complete.

Budget Reductions

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the proposed reductions in budgets of (a) Commander-in-Chief Fleet, (b) Commander-in-Chief Land Command, (c) Commander-in-Chief Strike Command and (d) Chief of Defence Logistics will have on frontline capability; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 December 2004, Official Report, columns 338–39W.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years.

Ivor Caplin: The information required to answer this question is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Future Rapid Effects System

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what time scale has been written into the contract with Atkins for the systems house role for the Future Rapid Effects System.

Adam Ingram: The Systems House, under the strategic direction of the Ministry of Defence, will be leading the programme of studies during the Assessment Phase designed to inform MOD's future investment decisions on Future Rapid Effect System. The Assessment Phase is scheduled to last for two years and will complete in November 2006. The contract with Atkins reflects this time line.

Future Rapid Effects System

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the new family of medium vehicles will be operational.

Adam Ingram: The Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) is now in its initial Assessment Phase. A contract has now been awarded to Atkins who, under the strategic direction of the Ministry of Defence, will be leading a number of key activities designed to inform MOD's major programme decisions. Part of this Assessment Phase work will be to identify and reduce risk in the programme to enable us to define an appropriate In-Service Date (ISD) in both capability and programme terms for endorsement at Main Gate. The ISD will not be formally endorsed until then, but our initial planning assumption is to introduce the early variants of FRES around the end of the decade, with a phased approach to achieving full operational capability thereafter.

Iraq

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training Army units deploying to Iraq receive (a) before deployment and (b) in-theatre in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: British armed forces deploying to Iraq receive one of two comprehensive pre-deployment training packages, covering a wide variety of mandatory briefings, skills training and theatre acclimatisation, dependent upon whether they are deployed on an individual basis or as part of a group deployment. Once in theatre they receive refresher and specific-to-theatre training designed to prepare them for their respective jobs, and allow them to be deployed acclimatised, and trained in the tasks that they are to perform.

Military Operations (EU)

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what large scale co-operative exercises organised by EU Military Staff he expects will take place in the next five years; and from what budgets UK participation will be funded.

Geoff Hoon: The EU Military Staff currently have no plans for a large-scale co-operative exercise involving the field deployment of troops. However, EU and/or joint EU-NATO crisis management exercises, involving command structures and headquarters, are envisaged in each of the years 2006 to 2009, and will involve exercising arrangements for the augmentation of the relevant HQ. They will focus on how the EU responds to crises using both civilian and military instruments in an EU-led operation.
	The majority of costs for EU exercises are funded on a "costs lie where they fall" basis. In practice, therefore, the cost to the UK of hosting an exercise would be met by the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ), as it was for this year's exercise; and the cost of providing staff for an exercise hosted by another member state would be met by the Top Level Budget Holder providing the staff. There are also a few additional costs, such as costs incurred by EU recourse to NATO common assets, that are shared by member states on a Gross National Income key. This is the same approach as for other exercises involving comparable international institutions.

Type 45 Destroyers

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many type-45s will be capable of deploying simultaneously when they are all in-service.

Adam Ingram: With eight Type 45 destroyers in service, a minimum of five units would be available to the Fleet, at various states of readiness, for deployment.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bees

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultation she (a) has had and (b) proposes to have with the Harrogate and Ripon Beekeepers Association regarding the Bee Health Programme.

Alun Michael: My officials are consulting the national beekeeping associations in England about our future plans for the bee health programme. These associations include the British Beekeepers' Association, of which the Harrogate and Ripon Beekeepers' Association is a member.

Civil Servants

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants worked for her Department in each of the last five years.

Alun Michael: Defra was created in June 2001 and the figures shown in the following table relate to the period since then.
	
		
			  Defra Executive agencies Total 
		
		
			 1 October 2001 7,970 2,520 10,490 
			 1 April 2002 6,980 5,580 12,560 
			 1 April 2003 6,690 5,630 12,320 
			 1 April 2004 6,910 6,070 12,980 
		
	
	Numbers shown are permanent staff in full-time equivalents.
	These changes were mainly due to the creation of the Rural Payments Agency on 16 October 2001. RPA took over all 1,080 staff from the Intervention Board Executive Agency (which has not been included in Defra staff in post statistics) and around 1,860 staff from the core Department.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her target time is in 2004–05 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in her Department to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Alun Michael: The Department's target time for answering such letters is 15 working days.

Deer Management Options Report

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the report Current and Future Deer Management Options, published in December 2003.

Ben Bradshaw: I asked my officials to assess the report and they found it to be excellent.

Departmental Websites

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department's .gov.uk websites comply with the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines adopted by the Government in 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The quality and accessibility is not as high as I would like but it is our policy that our websites should comply fully with the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative's guidelines (as detailed in the Guidelines for UK Government websites). I am told that our current website designs are intended to meet in full the Priority 1 (level A) standards. Work is now being undertaken to update older content on our website that may not meet current standards in full, while further work on both technical and authoring issues is intended to raise our standards.

GM Crops

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made on establishing coexistence measures for the growing of GM crops.

Elliot Morley: In collaboration with the Devolved Administrations we held a series of stakeholder workshops between August and October. We are now developing a package of specific proposals and options for general consultation. Our original aim was to publish the written consultation package this year, but as there are aspects we need to explore further it will not now be issued until 2005. We plan to have co-existence measures in place before there is any commercial GM cultivation in the UK. This is not expected before 2008 at the earliest.

Hunting

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the Hunting Act 2004 upon those whose livelihoods are (a) directly and (b) indirectly dependent on hunting; and if she will review the commencement date for the hunting ban to take account of the Minister for Rural Affairs' expressed concerns about the potential impact of implementation in February 2005.

Alun Michael: The Government do not expect that significant numbers of people will find themselves out of work as a result of the Act and many will be able to divert into other activities. Lord Burns estimated that around 700 jobs were directly dependent on hunting and that, overall, between 6,000 and 8,000 jobs could be affected by a ban, although evidence given to the Portcullis House hearings suggested that this may be an overstatement. The Government have not made any further assessment of the economic impact of the Act.
	The Government believe that a longer implementation time would have helped businesses and individuals to prepare for the ban. Our proposal to defer commencement until July 2006 was, regrettably and perversely, rejected by the House of Lords.

Parliamentary Questions

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many written questions for her Department were unanswered when Parliament prorogued; and how many of the unanswered questions were tabled in each of the previous months of the 2003–04 Session.

Alun Michael: I can confirm that we did not have any written questions unanswered when Parliament prorogued.
	Four parliamentary questions had not been responded to with a substantive answer when the House prorogued. Each received a response promising to write to the MP with a reply. All four questions were tabled in November 2004.

Sugar

George Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the European Commission about the development of an action plan for ACP sugar producers as envisaged in the EC Communication on sugar published in July.

Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has stressed the importance of the early delivery of a credible and effective action plan to provide appropriate adjustment aid for existing preferential sugar suppliers in the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of countries throughout discussion of the European Commission's Communication on sugar reform. As already reported to the House, she welcomed the commitment given by the Commission at the November meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council to bring forward a draft by the end of the year.

Sugar

George Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations her Department has made to the European Commission on the (a) delivery, (b) timing and (c) package of measures for ACP sugar producers in the Caribbean.

Alun Michael: Officials from both the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and from the Department for International Development have participated in a number of meetings with the European Commission on these issues. They have stressed the priority the UK attaches to the early delivery of a credible and effective action plan to provide appropriate adjustment aid for existing preferential sugar suppliers in the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of countries. They have also offered to share with the Commission the results of three pieces of independent research we have commissioned to help analyse the impacts of reform and determine how to address them. We hope these studies will contribute to discussions between the Commission and the countries concerned and help to ensure that the adjustment process is properly managed.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his target time is in 2004–05 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in his Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information is as follows:
	(a) My colleagues and I aim to reply to letters from hon. Members within 15 working days unless the correspondence relates to Her Majesty's Prison Service or immigration and nationality matters when we aim to reply within 20 working days.
	(b) Officials aim to reply to letters and e-mails from members of the public within 20 working days.

National Offender Management Service

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the objectives are of the National Offender Management Information Project.

Paul Goggins: The National Offender Management Information Project will provide the National Offender Management Service with a centralised offender database. This will help to achieve its central aim of reducing re-offending, as well as support new sentencing provisions, replace aged IT systems in Prisons and Probation, and contribute to better communication and co-operation with other Criminal Justice Organisations.

New Prisons

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates in the last 12 months he has met right hon. and hon. Members to discuss potential sites for the building of new prison establishments; and which right hon. and hon. Members attended each meeting.

Paul Goggins: I met with the hon. Member for Elmet (Colin Burgon) to discuss the possible development of a site for a new prison on 18 November 2004.

Prisons (Fires)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fires there were in Her Majesty's prisons from 1 January to the end of October, broken down by prison; and whether (a) prison staff and (b) prisoners were hurt.

Paul Goggins: There have been 919 fires in Her Majesty's prisons from 1 January to 31 October 2004. A breakdown by establishment is provided in the table.
	
		Fires in prisons from 1 January 2004 to 31 October 2004
		
			 Establishment Total 
		
		
			 Acklington 6 
			 Altcourse 5 
			 Ashfield 27 
			 Ashwell 6 
			 Aylesbury 3 
			 Bedford 6 
			 Belmarsh 8 
			 Birmingham 13 
			 Blakenhurst 17 
			 Blundeston 8 
			 Brinsford 3 
			 Bristol 9 
			 Brixton 15 
			 Brockhill 1 
			 Bronzefield 3 
			 Buckley Hall 9 
			 Bullingdon 5 
			 Bullwood Hall 6 
			 Camphill 22 
			 Canterbury 1 
			 Cardiff 7 
			 Castington 12 
			 Channings Wood 1 
			 Chelmsford 18 
			 Deerbolt 2 
			 Doncaster 9 
			 Dorchester 1 
			 Dovegate 15 
			 Dover 1 
			 Downview 5 
			 Durham 21 
			 Frankland 7 
			 Full Sutton 18 
			 Garth 1 
			 Glen Parva 6 
			 Gloucester 5 
			 Grendon 1 
			 Haslar 2 
			 Highdown 20 
			 Highpoint 5 
			 Hindley 11 
			 Holloway 11 
			 Holme House 5 
			 Hull 12 
			 Huntercombe 2 
			 Lancaster Farms 2 
			 Latchmere House 1 
			 Leeds 5 
			 Leicester 9 
			 Lewes 15 
			 Leyhill 2 
			 Lincoln 12 
			 Lindholme 11 
			 Littlehey 5 
			 Liverpool 15 
			 Long Lartin 1 
			 Newton 10 
			 Maidstone 1 
			 Manchester 12 
			 Moorland 3 
			 Morton Hall 2 
			 New Hall 15 
			 Reading 1 
			 Risley 13 
			 Rochester 2 
			 Rye Hill 14 
			 Send 1 
			 Stafford 5 
			 Standford Hill 1 
			 Stocken 3 
			 Stoke Heath 5 
			 Styal 14 
			 Sudbury 2 
			 Swaleside 15 
			 Swansea 3 
			 Swinfen Hall 5 
			 The Mount 2 
			 The Verne 7 
			 Usk 1 
			 Wakefield 5 
			 Wandsworth 20 
			 Wayland 15 
			 Wealstun 2 
			 Weare 1 
			 Wellingborough 10 
			 Wetherby 27 
			 Whitemoor 12 
			 Winchester 23 
			 Wolds 2 
			 Woodhill 4 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 15 
			 Wymott 2 
			 Total 919 
		
	
	Information is not held centrally on the number of staff or prisoners injured as a result of these incidents and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Prisons (Fires)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to determine which fire authority is responsible for prisons and detention centres.

Paul Goggins: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for fire legislation and is the enforcing authority. Fire Crown Premises Inspection Group is the fire authority responsible for prisons and detention centres.

Prisons (Fires)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will commission an independent review of Prison Service fire advisors.

Paul Goggins: There is no need for an independent review. The Prison Service has already commissioned the Building Research Establishment (Fire) to undertake an independent Fire Safety Survey and Review of the prison estate. Those undertaking this work will assess the current situation with regard to fire safety, report their findings and make appropriate recommendations. The Prison Service will review the provision of professional technical advice on fire safety related issues.

Prisons (Fires)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the Fire Safety Section of the Prison Service has been restructured; and what new arrangements for the operation of the Section came into force on 4 October.

Paul Goggins: The Building Research Establishment (BRE) Fire was commissioned as an independent specialist body in September 2004 to carry out a survey and review of fire safety issues across the prison estate. This work concentrates primarily on fire safety risks in prison cells.

Prisons (Fires)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to determine what firefighting equipment is available in each prison; and what assessment he makes of (a) the materials used in the construction, (b) the location and (c) the water pressure available in the vicinity of prisons and detention centres in making such decisions.

Paul Goggins: Fire legislation and risk assessments determine the requirements for firefighting equipment. The materials used in construction comply with Building Regulations, Fire Regulations and British and European Standards for fire, and prison operational and security needs.
	At the building design stage, the need for appropriate location and water pressure for firefighting equipment is taken into account. Measures are taken to provide adequate firefighting facilities. There may include the installation of separate water tanks, ponds, lakes; and where necessary the water system is pressurised.

Prosecutions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether more people were prosecuted in 2002 than were arrested.

Paul Goggins: The estimated number of persons arrested for at least one notifiable offence in England and Wales 2002 is 1,308,800. In the same period 642,800 1 persons were prosecuted for at least one notifiable offence.
	1 These data are on the principal offence basis.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Department of the Serjeant at Arms

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what factors underlie the increase in the number of staff employed in the Serjeant at Arms Department between 2000 and 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: A major factor contributing to the increase in staff numbers in the Serjeant at Arms Department has been the growth in responsibilities of the Parliamentary Communications Directorate (PCD), to deal with the provision of IT to both Houses and associated support services. Furthermore, following the Braithwaite Review of the Department in 2000–01, new posts were identified in the Parliamentary Works Services Directorate. Various other posts were created, including posts of procurement manager, IT security officer and head of finance. The Central Tours Office was set up in 2003.

Parliamentary Communications Directorate

Eric Forth: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost was of (a) producing and (b) distributing the Parliamentary Communications Directorate information folder; how many were distributed; to whom; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: 1,000 information folders have been produced in response to customer feedback showing that Members wanted to have a single point of reference for Member information. The folders cost £5.72 each. The folders are being issued to all Members of the House of Commons. Some folders were handed out in person at a recent Parliamentary Communications Directorate (PCD) customer service event and the remainder are being distributed via the internal mail service. Neither approach has resulted in readily attributable distribution costs.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in his Department since its implementation.

Archy Kirkwood: The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers applies to temporary civil servants appointed under Article 3 of the Civil Service Order in Council. No staff in this category are employed in the House of Commons Service.

State Opening of Parliament

Lynne Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what the estimated cost to the House was of the State Opening of Parliament on 23 November.

Archy Kirkwood: The final cost of the 2004 State Opening of Parliament is not yet known but is forecast to be similar to that of 2003 which, for Parliament as a whole, was £127,660. 60 per cent. of the cost, £76,596, is attributed to the House of Commons.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Contaminated Industrial Land

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department (a) provides and (b) plans to provide to (i) Armenia, (ii) Azerbaijan and (iii) Georgia to remediate contaminated industrial land; and what assessment he has made of the recent combined report on this matter by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the United Nations Development Programme and the UN Environment Programme.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID is not involved in contaminated industrial land remediation in the countries of the South Caucasus. DFID's bilateral assistance programmes in Armenia and Georgia provide support for poverty reduction through improved governance and sustainable economic growth. DFID does not have a bilateral assistance programme in Azerbaijan but is assisting the Government to participate in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
	DFID has no plans to provide direct support to assist remediation of contaminated industrial land. DFID is aware that the Organisation of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) are supporting a joint initiative on Environment and Security (ENVSEC). They have published a recent report on "Environment and Security, Transforming Risks into Cooperation—The Case for the Southern Caucasus". The report provides a useful overview of related environment, security and development issues in the region. It includes challenges presented by contaminated industrial land, resulting from complete or partial closure of old soviet era industrial facilities.
	DFID understands that the OSCE, UNDP and UNEP are developing a work programme to address the challenges presented in the report. DFID intends to use its involvement in international networks to encourage effective action to address this issue.

Crèche Facilities

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what crèche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not provide crèche facilities. However, DFID does provide holiday playschemes for it's staff in its offices in London and East Kilbride. The costs of the holiday playschemes are as follows:
	East Kilbride
	£10 annual registration fee for first child and £5 for each additional child plus £10 per child per day, paid wholly by the parents.
	London
	£30 per child per day of which the parent and DFID each pay £15 each. For financial year 2003–04, the cost to DFID for subsidising DFID parents' use of the Whitehall Holiday Playscheme was £2,295.
	The Department for International Development is also intending to conduct a review of the childcare support provided and whether there is sufficient demand for other provisions, for instance an on-site nursery, childcare vouchers or salary sacrifice schemes.

Darfur

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures the Government are taking to ensure the safety of British aid workers in the Darfur region.

Hilary Benn: Humanitarian agencies in Darfur are operating in a very difficult and insecure environment. DFID deplores the recent upsurge in violence in Darfur which is worsening the insecurity in certain parts.
	Along with the UN and others, the UK Government continue to press both the Government of Sudan and the rebels to stop the fighting and implement the Abuja humanitarian and security protocols, to allow unfettered and secure access throughout Darfur.
	The UK has provided significant support to UN agencies and NGOs for security and communications to help agencies operate safely. DFID has recently provided further funding of £820,000 to the United Nations Security Co-Ordinator (UNSECOORD) to ensure that their full funding needs are met. This will allow it to expand its capacity and presence in Darfur, supporting it's security co-ordination and management of UN operations as well as to assist non-governmental-organisations. DFID has also provided £1.5 million to the UN's 'Fast IT and Telecommunications Emergency and Support Team' (FITTEST) to enhance security communications in North Sudan (including Darfur). This will help the UN operations to become 'Minimum Operational Security Standard' (MOSS) compliant. More broadly, the UK provides on-going support to 'Registered Engineers for Disaster Relief' (Red R) for security training for NGO staff globally. This year it has included a Security and Staff Safety Management training course in Nyala (South Darfur).
	The African Union mission has a key role to play in improving the security situation on the ground. They are specifically mandated to
	"contribute to a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian relief".
	DFID is not looking at military protection for the aid convoys beyond this. NGOs and the UN consider that they would be more at risk of being targeted if they travelled under armed escort. We are keeping this situation under review.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Hilary Benn: DFID has not bought-in or outsourced any accountancy services, within our central finance function, over the last two years because we have sufficient in-house capacity.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in his Department in each of the last two years.

Hilary Benn: The cost of new builds for DFID overseas office in the last two years was as follows:
	
		
			 Country Planned estimate (£) 
		
		
			 Democratic Republic of Congo 3,000,000 
			 Ethiopia 2,800,000 
			 Pakistan 2,229,000 
			 Rwanda 896,000 
		
	
	There were no demolition rebuilds or Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects.

Iraq (Humanitarian Assistance)

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 29 November 2004, Official Report, column 345, to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Joan Ruddock) what the (a) number and (b) locations of civilians in and around Fallujah to whom humanitarian assistance could be provided.

Hilary Benn: The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reports that around 210,000 civilians from Fallujah are currently living in the area around Fallujah: 120,000 in and around Amiriyah, 24,000 in Hababniyah, 21,000 in and around Karma, 21,000 in Nieamiyah, 12,000 in and around Saklawiya, and 12,000 spread across the smaller towns of Heet, Aana, Rawa, and Hadeatha. Assessments by the Interim Iraqi Government (IIG) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) indicate that a further estimated 35,000 civilians from Fallujah are currently situated in Baghdad. It is estimated that only a few thousand civilians remain in the city of Fallujah.
	The IIG reports that the majority of Fallujah's displaced civilians are staying with family and friends. Some are in schools, mosques, and Government buildings, and a small number are in tents. The IIG, the Multi-National Force, and humanitarian agencies agree that there is no humanitarian crisis in and around Fallujah.
	The IIG is monitoring the situation and co-ordinating humanitarian work in the area. A cross-ministry Core Co-ordination Group has been established, and representatives from key Iraqi Ministries are now on the ground, conducting assessments and distributing essential supplies. The IIG is also working with the Multi-National Force, UN agencies, and NGOs to ensure safe access to Fallujah's displaced civilians, and to plan for their return to the city. DFID is providing technical advice to the IIG Fallujah Core Co-ordination Group and is maintaining close contact with representatives from the Multi-National Force and with humanitarian organisations on the ground.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997–98.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID does not hold these costs centrally. However, in the last seven years we are aware of spending on training as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ million 
		
		
			 2003–04 4.4 
			 2002–03 2 
			 2001–02 1.4 
			 2000–01 1 
			 1999–2000 .85 
			 1998–99 .58 
			 1997–98 .88 
		
	
	DFID is committed to ensuring staff have the right skills and expertise to meet our commitment to the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals.
	We manage numerous external training providers covering a range of subjects such as economics, working with Ministers and Parliament, language training, leadership and management.
	A more definitive answer could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997–98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID does not hold all the information centrally. However, in the last three financial years we are aware of the following money paid to training providers for courses that we have cancelled:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 2004–05 12,750 
			 2003–04 13,750 
			 2002–03 18,430 
		
	
	DFID values its staff. We are committed to providing training and learning opportunities and developing staff to their full potential.
	A more definitive answer could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Turkmenistan/Armenia

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what development aid has been provided by the Government to the governments of (a) Turkmenistan and (b) Armenia in each year since 2000; what conditions have been attached in each case; and what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of those conditions.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID's bilateral assistance to Armenia and Turkmenistan for the period 2000–04 was as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year £ million 
		
		
			 Armenia  
			 2000–01 1.935 
			 2001–02 1.491 
			 2002–03 1.191 
			 2003–04 2.753 
			 2004–05 (1)2.500 
			 Turkmenistan  
			 2000–01 0.111 
			 2001–02 0.062 
			 2002–03 0.162 
			 2003–04 0.036 
			 2004–05 (1)0.036 
		
	
	(1) Planned disbursements in the current 2004–05 financial year.
	Additionally, the UK's attributed share of multilateral assistance to: (i) Armenia; (ii) Turkmenistan was as follows:
	
		All figures in £ million
		
			  EC Other(2) UN World bank Total 
		
		
			 (i) Armenia  
			 2000 1.8 0.0 0.2 2.5 4.5 
			 2001 1.2 0.0 0.2 4.9 6.3 
			 2002 2.3 1.0 0.2 0.0 3.5 
			 (ii) Turkmenistan  
			 2000 0.4 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.5 
			 2001 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.6 
			 2002 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.4 
		
	
	(2)EBRD and Asian Development Fund
	DFID's bilateral technical assistance is untied as set out in rules and regulations governing the delivery of DFID's development assistance—there are no general or specific conditions placed on recipient countries. In the period from 2000 DFID's bilateral assistance programme in Armenia has been provided in the form of technical assistance through a range of projects to support the Armenian Government's reform agenda.
	Development assistance to Turkmenistan has been provided through a small grants scheme administered by the British embassy.

TRANSPORT

A30

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how long the inquiry into the A30 improvement at Goss Moor lasted; what period has elapsed since the conclusion of the inquiry; and when he expects a decision to be announced.

David Jamieson: The local inquiry sat for seven days between Tuesday 13 January 2004 and Tuesday 3 February 2004. The Inspector's report was received on 30 April 2004 and the decision announced on Monday 29 November 2004.

Airline Pilots (Chemical Exposure)

Paul Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether UK airline captains experiencing cockpit or cabin air contamination event serious enough for pilots to use emergency oxygen have a responsibility to inform passengers to which chemicals they might have been exposed.

Charlotte Atkins: Pilots are required to use oxygen as a precautionary measure in all cases of suspected cockpit air abnormalities irrespective of severity of event. Flight crew are not professionally qualified to verify the cause of air contamination or identify what chemicals if any, passengers may have been exposed to. The captain has discretion to inform passengers of an event.

Airline Pilots (Chemical Exposure)

Paul Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the findings of the 1999 UK Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment that neuropsychological abnormalities can occur as a long-term complication of acute organophosphate poisoning, with particular reference to aviation lubricant Exxon Mobil Jet oil.

Charlotte Atkins: The report concluded that acute organophosphate poisoning occurs mainly in sheep dipping or orchard spraying. There is no convincing evidence that it also occurs in relation to aviation lubricants, where organophosphates may be present only as trace elements.

Airline Pilots (Chemical Exposure)

Paul Tyler: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Civil Aviation Authority records incidents of UK pilots flying with (a) headaches, (b) eye, nose and throat irritation, (c) concentration difficulties and (d) dizziness and nausea.

Charlotte Atkins: The CAA has a Mandatory Occurrence Reporting (MOR) system in place and any form of incident leading to incapacitation while on duty has to be reported by the pilot.

Jubilee Bridge

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects of traffic congestion over the Jubilee Bridge across the Mersey on investment and economic growth in the North West.

Charlotte Atkins: These issues are addressed in Halton borough council's appraisal of the proposed New Mersey Crossing recently submitted to my Department. We are now considering this appraisal.

London Gateway, Shell Haven

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he received the inspector's report of the inquiry into proposals for port and commercial development at London Gateway, Shell Haven; and when he expects to announce a decision.

David Jamieson: The inspector's report of the inquiry into proposals for port and commercial development at London Gateway, Shell Haven was received by Government at the end of February. The report is receiving careful attention in my Department in respect of the port and in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in respect of the commercial development. Decisions will be announced when consideration has been completed in accordance with statutory procedures.

Mobile Phones

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the level of compliance by drivers with the legislation forbidding the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving.

David Jamieson: The Department has been undertaking regular surveys of the use of mobile phones while driving. The last survey carried out in September 2004 showed that 1.1 per cent. of car drivers surveyed on weekdays were using a hand-held phone. This compares with 1.5 per cent. in September 2003. Further details are set out in a leaflet "Mobile phone use by drivers, 2002–04", available on-line at www.trl.co.uk/abstracts/lf2094.pdf.

Motorway Closures

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which occasions in November (a) 2004 and (b) 2003 motorways in England were closed to traffic for more than three hours.

David Jamieson: Motorways in England were closed to traffic for more than three hours 39 times in November 2003 and 85 times in November 2004. Of the 2004 closures, at least 30 closures were due to major maintenance works and communications system upgrades. All of these closures were implemented in off-peak hours to minimise disruption to road users.

Road Improvements

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons he rejected the advice of the South West Regional Assembly on the options for improving the A303 and A30 to the west of Ilminster; and if he will make a statement.

Charlotte Atkins: The decision in favour of the A358 from near Ilminster to the M5 at Taunton follows completion of detailed technical work by the Highways Agency comparing the options of improving the A303 through the Blackdown Hills or improving the A358. The decision followed very careful consideration given to the full range of issues raised by the choice between these two alternative routes, including the scheme costs, economic benefits and environmental impacts. This also took into account the views of the Regional Assembly and other stakeholders.

Road Improvements

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his estimate is of the total cost to public funds of seeking the advice of the South West Regional Assembly on alternative options for improving the A303 or A358 to the west of Ilminster.

Charlotte Atkins: Information on the costs incurred by the South West Regional Assembly is not held by the Department for Transport.

Road Improvements

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the basis was for his conclusion that improving the A358 provides better value for money than improving the A303 west of Ilminster.

Charlotte Atkins: All candidate schemes for the Targeted Programme of Improvements are assessed in accordance with the New Approach to Appraisal. This looks at the scheme's overall performance against our five appraisal criteria, namely Environment, Safety, Economy, Accessibility and Integration. The Highways Agency assessed both the A303 west of Ilminster and the A358 schemes on this basis. This showed that the A358 would cost around £90 million less than the A303 option, had a higher benefit to cost ratio and performed significantly better in terms of impacts on landscape, townscape, heritage of historic resources, biodiversity and the water environment. The A303 option performed better in relation to greenhouse gas emissions.
	The performance of the schemes against other appraisal criteria was broadly similar. The overall assessment was that the A358 option performed significantly better against our appraisal criteria and therefore gave the higher value for money.

Road Safety Grants

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many grants for the promotion of road safety have been made by his Department under section 40 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in each of the last seven years; and what the total cost has been.

David Jamieson: Grant given between 1997–98 and 2003–04 is shown in the table:
	
		
			 Financial year Number of grants Cost of grants (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 6 312,755 
			 1998–99 2 281,250 
			 1999–2000 11 335,037 
			 2000–01 13 377,129 
			 2001–02 11 339,578 
			 2002–03 18 360,231 
			 2003–04 18 384,975 
			 Total 79 2,390,955 
		
	
	So far 20 grants have been given during 2004–05, totalling £522,669. Further applications are still being considered for this current financial year.

Wheel Loss

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road fatalities arising from the loss of road wheels from heavy commercial vehicles occurred in each of the last five years; how many wheel loss incidents there were in that period; what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on this issue; and what assessment he has made of the effects of safety wheel nuts in reducing accidents.

David Jamieson: Figures are not currently recorded in the form requested, but I attach a table showing the statistics available. It should be noted that there may sometimes be delays in listing figures while the findings of coroners' courts are awaited.
	
		Heavy goods vehicles and trailers—wheel detachment—January 1997 to August 2003
		
			  Wheel detachment cases Fatalities 
		
		
			 HGV rigids and tractor units 175 3 
			 HGV semi-trailers 44 3 
			 HGV drawbar trailers 10 0 
		
	
	Some research was undertaken in 1997, following which a guidance leaflet was issued. More investigation is currently in hand with findings expected shortly, and further research to look at wheel fixings and methods of tightening is under consideration for next year. The Department has not commissioned research into locking wheel nuts, but work on behalf of the British Standards Institution indicated that a loss of clamp force—due to settlement between the interfaces of the wheel-fixing assembly—can take place without rotation of the nut. Thus, although use of locking devices can prevent loss of wheel nuts the devices cannot counteract a loss of clamp force, and excessive wear as a consequence of this could result in the loss of a wheel while nuts were still attached. Nonetheless there might be benefit in some cases, with such equipment preventing or delaying total loss of a wheel.

Wheel Loss

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the number of fatalities caused by the loss of wheels from heavy commercial vehicles; what estimate he has made of the number of (a) fatalities and (b) incidents caused by such losses; what research he is undertaking into this problem; what assessment he has made of the availability of safety wheel nuts; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: On (a) and (b) , figures relating to heavy goods vehicle wheel detachment cases and fatalities have already been given in an associated response given today "(UIN 201197)". Some research was undertaken in the late 1990s and further research is currently under way with more under consideration. While research has concentrated on the extent, rather than the causes, of wheel loss the results have shown that a major factor is lack of regular and effective maintenance. In the Department's view, while locking wheel nuts can prevent loss of wheel nuts and might in some cases prevent total loss of a wheel, they cannot prevent the loss of clamp force as a result of which it would be possible for wheel loss to occur, through excessive wear, while wheel nuts were still attached.

Roadworks

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria are used by the Highways Agency to determine whether (a) treatment of stretches or routes for non-maintenance reasons is included in the annual budget of the Highways Agency and (b) such treatment includes noise barriers.

David Jamieson: The annual budget of the Highways Agency is agreed by Ministers taking account of the resources available for transport and competing priorities from the different programmes. Within that budget, priority is given to maintaining the strategic network, reducing congestion and improving safety, in accordance with the key targets set the Highways Agency. A ring-fenced annual budget of £5 million is allocated to treating noise problems at identified sites. Priorities for resurfacing of concrete roads ahead of maintenance need, subject to the availability of funding, were set out in the Secretary of State's announcement of 1 April 2003. The Highways Agency's budget and programme will be set out in its Business Plan, due to be published in the new year.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Service Pensions

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will allow members of the pre-October 2002 Civil Service Pension Scheme to remarry without losing their original pension entitlement; and if she will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: For clarification, members of the pre-October 2002 Civil Service Pension Scheme do not lose their pension on remarriage. However, the surviving spouses of deceased former members do have their widows'/widowers' pensions stopped on remarriage or cohabitation. I presume that it is these widows' and widowers' pensions to which the hon. Member's question relates.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 13 October 2004, Official Report, column 317W.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's policy is towards age discrimination.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, in line with the rest of the civil service, does not discriminate against staff or eligible applicants for posts on the grounds of age. Decisions on recruitment, selection, training, promotion and career management are based solely on objective and job related criteria.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her target time is in 2004–05 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in her Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Richard Caborn: The Department's current target date for answering all correspondence is 18 working days.
	Information on the departmental handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament/Peers is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The 2003 annual report is available in the Library of the House.

Crèche Facilities

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what crèche facilities are provided by her Department; and at what cost.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not provide crèche facilities. The Department provides support to working parents by participating in the Westminster Holiday Play scheme. The scheme provides holiday child care for children aged between four and 12 years. The cost per day is £30 and DCMS contributes half.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in her Department in each of the last two years.

Richard Caborn: DCMS has not been involved in any new builds, demolition rebuilds or private finance initiative projects in the last two years.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) her Department, (ii) agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which she has had responsibility in each of the last two years.

Richard Caborn: There are no empty properties owned or leased by DCMS. The information requested in respect of agencies and non-departmental public bodies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last two years.

Richard Caborn: During 2002–03 £120,000 was spent on building fabric in compliance with lease requirements and £102,000 to redecorate and re-carpet a floor vacated by a tenant to enable occupation by departmental staff. The sum of £8,088 has also been spent in 2003–04 decorating to repair the effects of fair wear and tear.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of refurbishing each Ministerial Private Office was in the last two years.

Richard Caborn: Work carried out for fair wear and tear on private offices during the last two years has been at a cost of £8,801.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost has been of criminal damage to her Department's buildings in each of the last two years.

Richard Caborn: There have not been any incidents of criminal damage, including graffiti, involving DCMS property during the last two years.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for her Department in each of the last two years.

Richard Caborn: Ministerial cars are provided by the Government Car and Despatch service, at a cost of:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 280,079 
			 2003–04 250,183 
		
	
	The cost of taxis in the last two full years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 21,878 
			 2003–04 22,235

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on energy costs incurred by her Department in each of the last two years.

Richard Caborn: The cost of energy procured by DCMS is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2003–04  
			 Electricity 253,616 
			 Gas 52,015 
			 2002–03  
			 Electricity 276,019 
			 Gas 59,503

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by her Department in each of the last two years.

Richard Caborn: The staff restaurant and meetings hospitality are a single contract, the cost of which over the last two full years was:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03  
			 Restaurant 75,516 
			 Hospitality 85,666 
			 2003–04  
			 Restaurant 67,431 
			 Hospitality 85,967 
		
	
	A new catering contract was let in October 2004 at a saving for restaurant services of almost £20,000.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by her Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case.

Richard Caborn: The only equipment leases are those for multi-function copier printers, at a leasing cost of £52,355 per annum including maintenance and software support but excluding cost per copy.

Gender Pay Gap

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the gender pay gap among staff in her Department.

Richard Caborn: DCMS completed an equal pay review in 2002 and has since taken action to narrow the gaps in pay between men and women. As a result of our equal pay action the percentage difference in salaries between men and women has reduced in all grades, except grade D where the average salary is higher for women than that for men.

IT Contracts

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the (a) projected cost at the time of tender and (b) actual cost at the time of completion was for each IT contract commissioned by her Department over the last five years.

Richard Caborn: The Department has let four IT contracts in the past five years. The costs of the first are set out as follows. The remainder are for ongoing services so it is not possible to give a completion cost, however the costs of operation have been as per the original estimates.
	NCC for IT security testing—projected cost £26,500, actual costs £26,500.

National Sports Foundation

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when Patrick Carter's report on the Government's proposed National Sports Foundation will be published.

Richard Caborn: Paragraph 6.50 of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's pre-Budget report presented to Parliament on 2 December sets out the provisional interim findings of Lord Carter's Review of funding for sport and states that his report will be published in spring 2005.

Olympic/Paralympic Athletes

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of Great British Olympians and Paralympians (a) medal winners and (b) squad members were educated at secondary level within the state system; and what the figures were for the previous Olympics.

Richard Caborn: This information is not held by Sport England or UK Sport.

Sports and Community Clubs

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her most recent estimate is of the number of sports clubs that will face an increase in their licensing fees as a result of the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003; and what estimate she has made of the average percentage increase in the size of the licensing fees to be paid by sports clubs following the implementation of the Act.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 6 December 2004
	We have looked at the position for registered members' clubs (sports and others) of which there are 20,000. The cost of a premises licence or club premises certificate represents a saving for most sports clubs over a period of 10 years depending on the scope and regularity of the club's activities. The fee of £16 currently paid for registered members' clubs is only one of the fees that they currently pay. If they have music and dancing after normal opening hours they require certificates of suitability (ranging from £50 to £500); special hours certificates (£25); and special orders of exemption (£10 a time). Each of these is charged individually and some are required on multiple occasions in a year. Under the Licensing Act 2003 they would all be included in the fee for a single club premises certificate. Any percentage increase or decrease in fees for a club will therefore depend on the range of certificates currently held. The Government's policy is that licensing fees must be set at a level that allows full recovery of the administration, inspection and enforcement costs falling on licensing authorities. It would be wholly wrong for central or local taxation to subsidise the consumption of alcohol, and it would be difficult to argue that the best way to promote sport is through Government subsidising sports club bars.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Correspondence

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the Minister for Children will acknowledge the letter sent to her by the Lowe Syndrome Trust.

Margaret Hodge: I received a letter from the Lowe Syndrome Trust on 19 October. I have since made contact with the Trust and am due to meet with representatives of the organisation in the new year.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Charles Clarke: The total of costs classified as purchased accountancy services in the accounts of the Department in 2002–03 and 2003–04 respectively is £69,584.00 and £190,990.28.

Education Funding

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) average primary formula spending share per pupil and (b) average secondary formula spending share per pupil is in each local education authority in 2005–06, listed in descending order of secondary formula allocations.

David Miliband: In England, the formula for the primary and secondary sub-blocks comprises a basic entitlement for each pupil, which is the same across the country, plus a top-up for each pupil with additional educational needs, which is again the same across the country, plus top-ups for areas where it costs more to recruit and retain teachers. Local education authorities with a greater proportion of pupils with additional educational needs or higher average earnings will receive a higher level of funding per pupil. The following table shows the average School Formula Spending Share for primary and secondary pupils, as announced on 2 December 2004 in the provisional Local Government Settlement for 2005–06. The figures are set out in descending order.
	
		
			  £ 
			 Primary  
		
		
			 Tower Hamlets 4,155 
			 City of London 3,991 
			 Hackney 3,820 
			 Isles of Scilly 3,804 
			 Islington 3,721 
			 Westminster 3,682 
			 Lambeth 3,661 
			 Camden 3,654 
			 Southwark 3,611 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 3,528 
			 Lewisham 3,448 
			 Greenwich 3,430 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 3,377 
			 Wandsworth 3,376 
			 Newham 3,321 
			 Brent 3,239 
			 Haringey 3,185 
			 Ealing 3,157 
			 Hounslow 3,114 
			 Slough 2,999 
			 Harrow 2,979 
			 Waltham Forest 2,974 
			 Barnet 2,927 
			 Enfield 2,882 
			 Hillingdon 2,880 
			 Merton 2,873 
			 Redbridge 2,852 
			 Manchester 2,845 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,836 
			 Birmingham 2,821 
			 Leicester 2,786 
			 Luton 2,778 
			 Reading 2,769 
			 Kingston upon Thames 2,747 
			 Croydon 2,738 
			 Bradford 2,729 
			 Nottingham City 2,710 
			 Sandwell 2,705 
			 Sutton 2,701 
			 Blackburn 2,700 
			 Peterborough 2,700 
			 West Berkshire 2,676 
			 Liverpool 2,673 
			 Oldham 2,669 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2,663 
			 Wolverhampton 2,658 
			 Knowsley 2,652 
			 Milton Keynes 2,644 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 2,638 
			 Rochdale 2,631 
			 Middlesbrough 2,626 
			 Surrey 2,622 
			 Southampton 2,618 
			 Walsall 2,613 
			 Isle of Wight Council 2,611 
			 Wokingham 2,607 
			 Thurrock 2,599 
			 Bracknell Forest 2,599 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 2,594 
			 Buckinghamshire 2,588 
			 Salford 2,587 
			 Coventry 2,585 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 2,582 
			 Bexley 2,579 
			 Halton 2,578 
			 Kirklees 2,577 
			 City of Bristol 2,576 
			 Bolton 2,572 
			 Oxfordshire 2,568 
			 Stoke on Trent 2,555 
			 Portsmouth 2,554 
			 Hertfordshire 2,546 
			 Herefordshire 2,537 
			 Havering 2,536 
			 Hartlepool 2,531 
			 Bromley 2,531 
			 Calderdale 2,528 
			 Cambridgeshire 2,528 
			 South Tyneside 2,527 
			 Doncaster 2,526 
			 Bedfordshire 2,524 
			 Derby 2,521 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 2,518 
			 Wiltshire 2,514 
			 Cornwall 2,513 
			 Tameside 2,510 
			 Sheffield 2,510 
			 Lincolnshire 2,510 
			 Cumbria 2,503 
			 North Yorkshire 2,499 
			 North Lincolnshire 2,497 
			 Devon 2,496 
			 Rutland 2,496 
			 Norfolk 2,495 
			 North East Lincolnshire 2,495 
			 Northumberland 2,493 
			 Blackpool 2,493 
			 Durham 2,493 
			 Sunderland 2,490 
			 Rotherham 2,485 
			 Shropshire 2,484 
			 Leeds 2,483 
			 Gateshead 2,481 
			 The Wrekin 2,479 
			 Dudley 2,478 
			 Wirral 2,474 
			 Barnsley 2,472 
			 Brighton and Hove 2,469 
			 Darlington 2,467 
			 Southend 2,466 
			 Lancashire 2,464 
			 Northamptonshire 2,456 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 2,456 
			 St. Helens 2,451 
			 Essex 2,451 
			 Bury 2,449 
			 Wakefield 2,448 
			 East Sussex 2,447 
			 Kent 2,446 
			 Warwickshire 2,446 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 2,441 
			 Plymouth 2,439 
			 Suffolk 2,438 
			 Hampshire 2,438 
			 Swindon 2,434 
			 Somerset 2,433 
			 Gloucestershire 2,430 
			 Trafford 2,429 
			 West Sussex 2,429 
			 North Tyneside 2,428 
			 Torbay 2,428 
			 Wigan 2,424 
			 Medway 2,421 
			 North Somerset 2,418 
			 Sefton 2,411 
			 Cheshire 2,411 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 2,409 
			 Dorset 2,409 
			 South Gloucestershire 2,406 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,405 
			 Derbyshire 2,402 
			 Solihull 2,398 
			 Bournemouth 2,395 
			 Stockport 2,382 
			 Warrington 2,374 
			 Staffordshire 2,374 
			 Worcestershire 2,358 
			 Leicestershire 2,355 
			 York 2,346 
			 Poole 2,325 
			 Secondary  
			 Tower Hamlets 5,051 
			 City of London 4,860 
			 Hackney 4,770 
			 Southwark 4,706 
			 Lambeth 4,698 
			 Islington 4,695 
			 Westminster 4,500 
			 Lewisham 4,492 
			 Isles of Scilly 4,452 
			 Camden 4,449 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 4,446 
			 Wandsworth 4,386 
			 Greenwich 4,352 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 4,216 
			 Newham 4,026 
			 Brent 3,987 
			 Haringey 3,943 
			 Ealing 3,894 
			 Hounslow 3,815 
			 Waltham Forest 3,780 
			 Slough 3,736 
			 Merton 3,715 
			 Barnet 3,682 
			 Harrow 3,662 
			 Hillingdon 3,629 
			 Barking and Dagenham 3,619 
			 Enfield 3,601 
			 Croydon 3,600 
			 Manchester 3,589 
			 Reading 3,584 
			 Birmingham 3,534 
			 Sutton 3,527 
			 Luton 3,523 
			 Redbridge 3,515 
			 Kingston upon Thames 3,510 
			 Richmond upon Thames 3,479 
			 Nottingham City 3,441 
			 Bradford 3,405 
			 Sandwell 3,399 
			 Bracknell Forest 3,389 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 3,389 
			 Surrey 3,389 
			 Peterborough 3,384 
			 Liverpool 3,382 
			 Wolverhampton 3,374 
			 Milton Keynes 3,371 
			 West Berkshire 3,365 
			 Wokingham 3,365 
		
	
	
		
			  £ 
			 Secondary  
		
		
			 Bexley 3,353 
			 Thurrock 3,351 
			 Knowsley 3,344 
			 Oldham 3,343 
			 Rochdale 3,339 
			 Southampton 3,334 
			 Bromley 3,330 
			 Middlesbrough 3,328 
			 Havering 3,326 
			 City of Bristol 3,320 
			 Walsall 3,317 
			 Leicester 3,313 
			 Halton 3,300 
			 Salford 3,296 
			 Blackburn 3,287 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 3,285 
			 Hertfordshire 3,285 
			 Portsmouth 3,285 
			 Buckinghamshire 3,284 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 3,273 
			 Coventry 3,260 
			 Stoke on Trent 3,256 
			 Isle of Wight Council 3,256 
			 South Tyneside 3,229 
			 Bolton 3,229 
			 Oxfordshire 3,228 
			 Kirklees 3,224 
			 Hartlepool 3,222 
			 Tameside 3,218 
			 Derby 3,217 
			 Sheffield 3,214 
			 Calderdale 3,206 
			 Dudley 3,200 
			 Blackpool 3,200 
			 Sunderland 3,194 
			 Brighton and Hove 3,190 
			 Bedfordshire 3,186 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 3,183 
			 Wirral 3,183 
			 Gateshead 3,180 
			 Leeds 3,178 
			 Southend 3,176 
			 North East Lincolnshire 3,170 
			 Rotherham 3,168 
			 Doncaster 3,167 
			 Bury 3,166 
			 Barnsley 3,162 
			 St. Helens 3,150 
			 Trafford 3,150 
			 Wakefield 3,149 
			 Plymouth 3,144 
			 Wigan 3,144 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 3,142 
			 The Wrekin 3,142 
			 North Tyneside 3,134 
			 Darlington 3,133 
			 Durham 3,133 
			 Torbay 3,132 
			 Swindon 3,127 
			 Essex 3,127 
			 Cambridgeshire 3,122 
			 Medway 3,121 
			 Sefton 3,120 
			 Kent 3,112 
			 Hampshire 3,110 
			 Lancashire 3,108 
			 Northamptonshire 3,107 
			 West Sussex 3,105 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 3,103 
			 Stockport 3,099 
			 Solihull 3,099 
			 North Somerset 3,098 
			 East Sussex 3,093 
			 Bournemouth 3,093 
			 Warrington 3,091 
			 North Lincolnshire 3,089 
			 Cornwall 3,083 
			 South Gloucestershire 3,080 
			 Warwickshire 3,074 
			 Cheshire 3,068 
			 Nottinghamshire 3,065 
			 Wiltshire 3,063 
			 Northumberland 3,062 
			 Gloucestershire 3,057 
			 Norfolk 3,050 
			 Cumbria 3,042 
			 Derbyshire 3,040 
			 Lincolnshire 3,038 
			 Suffolk 3,035 
			 Poole 3,032 
			 Devon 3,027 
			 York 3,025 
			 Staffordshire 3,021 
			 Worcestershire 3,012 
			 Herefordshire 3,007 
			 Somerset 3,004 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 3,001 
			 Shropshire 2,986 
			 Dorset 2,985 
			 North Yorkshire 2,978 
			 Leicestershire 2,974 
			 Rutland 2,974

Education, Youth and Culture Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the outcome was of the Education, Youth and Culture Council held on 15 and 16 November; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I attended the Education session of this Council. Peter Peacock, Minister for Education and Young People at the Scottish Executive, also attended and led on Youth issues. Lord McIntosh, Minister for Heritage and the Media attended the Culture Council. Colleagues at DCMS will write directly to my hon. Friend, with a short summary of what happened on their agenda items.
	During the Education session, Ministers discussed the Commission's proposals on the new Integrated Lifelong Learning Programme, and welcomed the commitment to simplify administration. The UK submitted a paper calling for SMART (Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Timed) objectives, effective evaluation, a flexible approach to languages, a separate cross-cutting strand and a focus on disadvantaged groups.
	The Council 'adopted' the Presidency Report on Citizenship in Education, which calls on member states to develop citizenship curricula and to exchange best practice on citizenship education. This will now be transmitted to the Spring European Council.
	Conclusions on Vocational Education and Training were 'adopted' without comment. They call for better links between vocational training and academic education, to allow individuals to move more freely between the two.
	Will Hutton, member of the Lisbon mid-term review group, presented the Kok Report on preparations for the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy in March 2005. He reported slow progress towards achieving the Lisbon goals: only three member states had achieved 70 per cent. employment, 60 per cent. employment of older workers and 50 per cent. employment of women.
	There were three items under Any Other Business: Commission proposals for a Recommendation on Quality Assurance in Higher Education; a paper from Portugal about an initiative to encourage more sport in Higher Education, as part of the European year of Education through Sport; the European Parliament's "adoption without amendment" of the Council's Common Position on the Decision to establish Europass at Second Reading.
	In the afternoon session, the Council discussed the Commission's proposals for the "Youth in Action" Programme 2007–2013, and called for greater emphasis on helping those less advantaged. The majority supported the proposals to extend the age range from 13 to 30 years.
	Conclusions on the current Youth Programme 2000–06 were "adopted without Comment". They called for the Commission to refocus the remainder of the programme—e.g. to include more young people with fewer opportunities, simplify procedures, improve evaluation, increase publicity and consider including more third countries.
	Ministers "agreed two Council Resolutions" on priorities for the Youth Open Method of Co-ordination in the areas of Youth and Volunteering, and a better understanding of the issues affecting young people. The Commission presented its recent Communication evaluating the first two years of the Youth Open Method of Co-ordination.
	A copy of the Council Minutes will be placed in the Library in due course.

European Constitution

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the effect of the coming into force of the European Constitution on the operation of his Department, with reference to (a) changes in legislative competence, (b) the extension of qualified majority voting, (c) the increased legislative role of the European Parliament, (d) the cost of implementation of regulations, (e) the requirements of adherence to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and (f) the quantity of legislation originating in the EU institutions.

Charles Clarke: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29 November 2004, Official Report, columns 10–11W, by my hon. Friend the Minister for Europe.

GCSE Grades/Results

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils in England achieved five GCSEs at grades A* to C, including (a) mathematics, (b) English and (c) mathematics and English in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

David Miliband: holding answer 29 November 2004
	The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

GCSE Grades/Results

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of examinees failed the GCSE in each of the last 10 years in (a) physical education, (b) history, (c) mathematics and (d) physics.

David Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of pupils entered for GCSE Percentage achieved no passes 
			 Subject group year Boys Girls Total Boys Girls Total 
		
		
			 Physics   
			 2004 25,562 16,885 42,447 0 0 0 
			 2003 24,029 16,035 40,064 0 0 0 
			 2002 23,297 15,343 38,640 0 1 0 
			 2001 23,006 15,449 38,455 0 1 0 
			 2000 22,799 14,733 37,532 0 0 0 
			 1999 22,766 14,439 37,205 0 1 0 
			 1998 22,358 13,847 36,205 1 1 1 
			 1997 21,892 12,649 34,541 1 1 1 
			 1996 22,482 13,245 35,727 1 1 1 
			 1995 21,640 11,589 33,229 1 1 1 
			 1994 23,193 12,201 35,394 1 1 1 
			 Mathematics   
			 2004 304,575 301,070 605,645 4 3 4 
			 2003 295,328 289,689 585,017 4 4 4 
			 2002 287,619 281,232 568,851 3 3 3 
			 2001 284,773 279,079 563,852 4 3 3 
			 2000 272,284 267,650 539,934 3 3 3 
			 1999 271,503 265,276 536,779 4 4 4 
			 1998 265,930 260,952 526,882 5 5 5 
			 1997 269,508 264,484 533,992 5 4 4 
			 1996 271,209 266,550 537,759 5 4 4 
			 1995 264,060 258,230 522,290 5 5 5 
			 1994 242,140 236,944 479,084 5 4 5 
			 History   
			 2004 103,377 102,022 205,399 4 2 3 
			 2003 97,913 96,888 194,801 4 2 3 
			 2002 97,647 96,298 193,945 4 3 3 
			 2001 97,120 98,111 195,231 7 4 5 
			 2000 93,694 96,585 190,279 3 2 3 
			 1999 92,780 96,154 188,934 4 2 3 
			 1998 92,386 96,684 189,070 4 3 3 
			 1997 101,387 106,099 207,486 5 3 4 
			 1996 104,478 107,929 212,407 5 3 4 
			 1995 108,689 114,668 223,357 6 4 5 
			 1994 99,847 107,503 207,350 5 3 4 
			 Physical Education   
			 2004 80,148 41,290 121,438 1 1 1 
			 2003 74,128 36,616 110,744 1 1 1 
			 2002 71,562 40,188 111,750 1 1 1 
			 2001 68,421 37,230 105,651 9 9 9 
			 2000 62,542 34,227 96,769 1 1 1 
			 1999 60,036 33,467 93,503 1 1 1 
			 1998 54,152 29,513 83,665 1 1 1 
			 1997 51,928 28,986 80,914 3 3 3 
			 1996 48,828 26,524 75,352 4 3 3 
			 1995 41,185 22,072 63,257 4 4 4 
			 1994 31,773 18,610 50,383 5 5 5 
		
	
	Note:
	2004 data is provisional and are subject to change.

GCSE Grades/Results

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of GCSE results reported in league tables for schools were GNVQ passes in the last year for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The 2003 Secondary School Performance Tables incorporated results in GCSEs, GCSE short courses, Full and Part 1 GNVQs. The following table shows the number of attempts and passes in GCSEs and GNVQs:
	
		GCSE and GNVQ attempts and passes by 15 year oldpupils in 2003
		
			  Attempts Passes (A*-C) Passes (D-G) 
		
		
			 GCSE 5,030,588 2,894,241 1,996,723 
			 Part 1 intermediate GNVQ 68,011 47,100 — 
			 Full intermediate GNVQ 44,130 33,361 — 
			 Part 1 Foundation GNVQ 16,654 — 8,913 
			 Full Foundation GNVQ 4,634 — 2,540 
		
	
	Note:
	Intermediate GNVQs are equivalent to grades A*-C at GCSE and foundation GNVQs are equivalent to grades D-G at GCSE.
	The contribution made by GNVQs to the percentage of 15 year old pupils achieving five or more grades A*-C nationally is shown in the table:
	
		2002/03
		
			 Academic year Number/percentage 
		
		
			 Number of 15 year old pupils 622,122 
			 Percentage of 15 year old pupils achieving 5+A*- C GCSE/GNVQ 52.9 
			 Percentage of 15 year old pupils achieving 5+A*- C by GCSE only 49.9 
			 Percentage of pupils needing GNVQs to achieve 5+ A*-C 3.0

Office for Fair Access

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people are employed by the Office for Fair Access; what the running cost of the Office was in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement on its future.

Kim Howells: In addition to the Director of Fair Access to Higher Education, who was appointed by the Secretary of State in October this year, the number of staff employed at the Office for Fair Access is five, of which two are part-time. The cost of the Office will average £500,000 a year. The role of the Office for Fair Access in approving and monitoring access agreements is critical to ensuring that access is widened not narrowed when higher variable fees are introduced from 2006.

Sixth-form Education

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he is taking to close the funding gap between schools and colleges for the provision of sixth-form education.

Kim Howells: The Government have already taken action to narrow the funding gap between school sixth forms and further education colleges. For the academic year 2003–04, base funding rates per qualification increased by 3 per cent. for school sixth forms and by 4.5 per cent. for further education colleges on a broadly comparable basis. In 2004–05, funding rates for colleges meeting their targets increased by 5 per cent., while those for school sixth forms rose by 4 per cent. We expect to see this trend continue in the 2005–06 academic year.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997–98.

Charles Clarke: My Department is responsible for encouraging and supporting learning and development throughout England. It has set itself the objective of becoming an exemplar learning organisation and is committed to providing access to training for its staff and to developing them to their full potential. To this end it has established leading edge e-learning facilities and continues to develop this and other learning solutions for its staff.
	Most provision is now delivered by external Strategic Partners. Learning events are available on all four sites in Sheffield, London, Darlington and Runcorn. They include the following programmes:
	Management and Leadership
	Introduction to Leadership
	Management and Improving Performance
	Communicating Policy
	Contract Management
	Programme and Project Management
	Skills for Life
	Finance and Resource Management
	Language Training
	We are unable to provide all of the information requested as retained records go back only to 2002. Details after this period are provided as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2002/03 2.179 
			 2003/04 2.429 
		
	
	These figures cover most of the formal aspects of learning and development funded by the Department from centrally-held budgets. They do not include, for example, such areas as coaching by line managers, interchange or secondment. Nor do they include training identified and paid for from other devolved budgets, for example towards degree courses.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997–98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 29 November 2004
	We do not collate centrally the total cost of financial penalties incurred as a result of course or event cancellation.
	We do however keep cancellations of centrally-run events to a minimum by:
	strongly encouraging attendance on events that have been booked by individuals or groups
	identifying in advance the minimum number of people for which it is cost effective to run an event
	identifying as early as possible when it does, untypically, become unfeasible to run events, and
	agreeing wherever possible with our strategic partners to postpone rather than cancel events.

Veterinary Medicine

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many undergraduate places were (a) available for and (b) filled by students wishing to study veterinary medicine in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Kim Howells: holding answer 30 November 2004
	For English HEIs veterinary science numbers are not subject to any quota. The number of places available is determined independently by each institution from within their block grant.
	The available information on numbers of students studying veterinary science has been taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record and is follows:
	
		All domiciled undergraduate entrants on veterinary sciencecourses at UK HEIs
		
			 Academic year Total undergraduates 
		
		
			 1994/95 540 
			 1995/96 580 
			 1996/97 590 
			 1997/98 690 
			 1998/99 730 
			 1999/2000 750 
			 2000/01 790 
			 2001/02 940 
			 2002/03(3) 900 
		
	
	(3) For the academic year 2002/03 HESA uses a different method of allocating students to subject groups and so figures are not comparable to earlier years.
	Note:
	Figures are a snapshot as at 1 December and are rounded to the nearest 5.
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record

TREASURY

Benefit Costs

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the cost to public funds of a 24-year-old man (a) drawing invalidity benefit and disability living allowance but not entering employment for 40 years, assuming 2004 prices and current benefit rates and (b) the contribution to public funds of a 24-year-old man working for 40 years, assuming average earnings and current tax rates.

Dawn Primarolo: The details of any calculation depend on assumptions about individual circumstances. Comparing a single childless person receiving long-term incapacity benefit of £74.15 a week and a lower rate disability living allowance of £15.55, with a similar person with median full-time earnings of £422.10 a week paying £68.12 income tax and £36.42 employee national insurance contributions with associated employer national insurance contributions of £42.38, could give a differential impact on public funds of £236.62 a week. Multiplying this by 52 weeks and 40 years would give a figure of around £492,000.

Civil Service

Louise Ellman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of Civil Service jobs which will be dispersed to Liverpool; what the nature of the jobs will be; and what the timescale is.

John Healey: As announced in Spending Review 2004, the Government are committed to relocating over 20,000 public sector posts out of London and the South East by 2010. It is not possible to say at this stage how many Civil Service jobs will be relocated to Liverpool. Departments are currently working through detailed implementation planning in consultation with stakeholders including unions, staff and local stakeholders. Only a small proportion of location choices have so far been determined. Where location choices have been decided, the numbers of new posts being created in the area have not been finalised.
	We are monitoring the progress of the relocation programme closely.
	As the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his PBR speech, the Department of Work and Pensions and Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise have reported that some posts have been relocated to Liverpool.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his target time is in 2004–05 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in his office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

John Healey: The Treasury's target for replying to all correspondence is 15 working days from receipt.
	Information on the departmental handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament/Peers is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The 2003 annual report is available in the Library of the House.

Film Industry

Chris Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his intention that films already in their principal photography stage and entered into in good faith under existing section 42 arrangements should be excluded in the changes to sale and leaseback arrangements under section 42 relief for film-making investment.

Dawn Primarolo: In his pre-Budget report on 2 December the Chancellor announced two measures targeted at film tax avoidance schemes that typically use sale and leaseback arrangements. These measures do not apply to films that were in principal photography at the date of the PBR announcement.

Film Industry

Chris Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he intends to take to ensure that the achieved relief for film investment under the new section 48 arrangement should amount to 20 per cent.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue issued a technical note on 21 September 2004 with details of a proposed new tax credit for British qualifying films with a budget up to £20 million. In his pre-Budget report on 2 December, the Chancellor confirmed that the Government are engaged in discussions with industry representatives to increase its understanding of the industry and to develop the detail of the operation of the credit.

Gender Pay Gap

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap among staff in his Department.

Stephen Timms: HM Treasury has undertaken two gender pay reviews. These reviews take place within three months of the pay settlement. Both reviews have shown no significant differences in pay between the genders.

Government Borrowing

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Government have borrowed from the national insurance fund in each year since 1998–99.

Dawn Primarolo: Most of the national insurance fund account is invested in gilts. This reduces the need for Government borrowing elsewhere. Details of investments from the national insurance fund account are in the annual accounts of the national insurance fund investment account published annually by the Stationery Office.

Inland Revenue

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what efficiency savings have been made in the Inland Revenue in each of the last seven years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the cost was of running the Inland Revenue in each of the last seven years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Details of the costs of running the Inland Revenue together with information on efficiency savings and productivity improvements are available in Inland Revenue annual reports on the Inland Revenue website at http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk and the House Library.

Inland Revenue

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been employed by the Inland Revenue in each of the last seven years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 December 2004, Official Report, columns 126–27W.

Inland Revenue

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent efficiency assessments have been made of working practices in the Inland Revenue; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Inland Revenue has a broad, proactive and continuous approach to the assessment of the efficiency of our working practices.
	Staff and managers are encouraged to continually improve the efficiency of their work. In addition, major current programmes such as Modernising Payroll Processes for Customers (MPPC) and the e-Services Programme will focus on improving working practices, thus delivering efficiencies and improving the quality of services and the choice offered to our customers.
	Recent reviews of business practices covered a wide range of services and operations across the Inland Revenue as part of the Modernising Government and Public Service Reform agendas. Although the prime focus of this work was not efficiency but better quality service, potential efficiencies were identified. The reviews included a focus on the processes and behaviours surrounding the channels by which customers contact and transact with the Department, to enable customers to fully meet their obligations and receive their entitlements.
	A series of pilot process reviews has been implemented, following latest international best practices, of the Revenue's major processes and activities with the aim of delivering improvements in customer services and operational efficiency.

International Finance Facility

Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  which G7 countries support the International Finance Facility;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Secretariat for the Commission for Africa regarding the International Finance Facility;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with the (a) World Bank and (b) African Development Bank on the International Finance Facility;
	(4)  what discussions he has had with (a) UN agencies and (b) non-governmental organisations regarding the International Finance Facility.

Stephen Timms: The UK is building a broad coalition of support for the International Finance Facility (IFF) in preparation for the UK presidencies of the G7/8 and EU in 2005. As part of this process, the IFF has been widely discussed within the G8 group of leading industrialised nations, the European Union, the United Nations, the G20 group of leading and emerging economies, the Commonwealth, at international meetings of the IMF and World Bank, with emerging market and developing countries, and with international organisations such as the UNDP, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the WHO and NEPAD.
	40 countries—including France and, last week, Italy—have given their support to the IFF. We have also received the support of a wide range of non-governmental organisations, faith groups and the business community.
	Discussions at the recent annual meetings of the World Bank and IMF increased support for the IFF, which was affirmed in the World Bank's final paper on Aid Effectiveness and Financing Modalities to be both technically feasible and the most advanced proposal for frontloading aid.

International Finance Facility

Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who will assess the poverty reduction plans of recipient countries for them to receive funds from the International Finance Facility.

Stephen Timms: The detailed mechanics of how disbursement decisions are made would depend on the IFF's governance structure, which would be for agreement by donors at the establishment of the IFF. The UK's proposal is that the IFF will use existing disbursement mechanisms that have been tried, tested and shown to be effective. It will not seek to become a new body for disbursing aid with new criteria that developing countries will need to meet.

Job Vacancies (Strathkelvin and Bearsden)

John Lyons: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many unfilled job vacancies there were in Strathkelvin and Bearsden in the last period for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. John Lyons, dated 7 December 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about job vacancies in Strathkelvin and Bearsden. I am replying in his absence. (202544)
	Figures for vacancies in total are only available from the ONS Vacancy Survey, which provides information at national level only. For local areas, figures for vacancies held by the Jobcentre Plus administrative system are available for periods up to April 2001. However, due to changes to that system, more recent figures are only available on a reliable basis for newly notified vacancies.
	In April 2001 there were 11,258 unfilled vacancies which had been registered to Jobcentres in the Glasgow travel to work area. An equivalent figure for Strathkelvin and Bearsden is not available.
	The Jobcentre Plus vacancy figure represents only those vacancies notified to Jobcentres, not all vacancies in an area.

National Insurance Contributions

Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people with a shortfall in earnings for national insurance contributions were not sent a deficiency warning notice in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Deficiency notices for the six-year period from 1996–97 to 2001–02 were issued in a single exercise. A total of 10.02 million notices were issued between October 2003 and September 2004. Everyone of working age who should have received a deficiency notice during the six-year interval was sent one during the recent exercise. DWP are undertaking a similar exercise for pensioners. We do not routinely keep statistics about people who have not been sent a deficiency notice and this would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Northern Ireland Statistics

David Trimble: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the levels of (a) gross domestic product per head expressed as a percentage of the UK average and (b) average weekly earnings are in Northern Ireland.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. David Trimble, dated 7 December 2004
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about (a) GDP per head in Northern Ireland expressed as a percentage of UK and (b) average weekly earnings in Northern Ireland. I am replying in his absence. (202865).
	The estimates in table A are based on the regional Gross Value Added1 (GVA) estimates published in April 2004. These are available on the National Statistics website at
	http ://www. statistics. gov.uk/StatBase/Product. asp? vlnk=7359
	GVA figures for 2003 are not yet available, the latest published information is for 2002 and can be seen in table A.
	
		Table A
		
			 Northern Ireland GVA(4) per head as a percentage of UK GVA per head 2002 
			 Region GVA per head 2002 (£) Percentage of UK GVA per head 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland 12,081 79.2 
			 United Kingdom less Extra Regio(5) 15.259 — 
		
	
	(4) Information presented here is Gross Value Added (GVA) which is Gross Domestic Product (GDP) less taxes (plus subsidies) on products.
	(5) Extra Regio is that part of the UK's economic territory which cannot be allocated to any specific region.
	Data Source:
	Office for National Statistics: Regional GVA (Published April 2004)
	*Average earnings figures for 2004 are presented in table B
	
		Table B
		
			 Northern Ireland Average Earnings 2004(6) 
			 Mean weekly earnings in Northern Ireland (£) Median weekly earnings in Northern Ireland (£) 
		
		
			 372.3 431.4 
		
	
	(6) Average gross weekly earnings for adult full time employees whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence.
	(7) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings uses the median as its preferred measure of average earnings, however both median and mean measures are supplied as either may be suited to users' needs.
	Data Source:
	Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2004(8)

Tax Credits (Overpayment)

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of overpayment for child and working tax credit there have been in (a) Bassetlaw and (b) England in 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Members for Northavon (Mr. Webb) and for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 15 November 2004, Official Report, columns 946–48W.

Tax Credits (Overpayment)

Bob Russell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of families have been overpaid working tax credit due to incorrect assessment by the Inland Revenue in each of the last two years.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Northavon (Mr. Webb) and for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 15 November 2004, Official Report, columns 946–48W.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Civil/Family Courts

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what progress has been made in the development of new online services for the civil and family courts, with particular reference to (a) Possessions Claim Online and (b) online forms.

Christopher Leslie: Possession Claims Online (PCOL) will be a public facing service for the issue of county court claims for repossession of property due to arrears of rent or mortgage. Development of the new service started in October 2004. National Rollout is planned in two phases: the first will commence in early 2006, the second in mid 2006. The timings are subject to the evaluation of proving phases.
	PCOL will provide benefits in a substantial area of civil business. These include the extension of the range of court services on line for claimants, defendants and advisers; reducing operational costs; creating two-way electronic channels whereby claimants, defendants, advisers, judiciary and court staff can share claims dates; and providing around the clock remote access for claimants, defendants and advisers.
	The Online Forms Pilot Project is planned to go live in early 2005, subject to successful testing, which commences in mid- December. It will deliver a number of interactive civil court forms over the internet and allow the customers in nine geographically spread, pilot courts to complete them online, pay the court fee online, and submit the form online. The forms will have built-in validation and navigation together with online help to assist customers and provide real-time feedback, ensuring "right first time" submission of forms.
	The aim of the project is to improve access to justice. It achieves this by enabling customers to carry out transactions electronically, including at locations where they can receive advice and help with form completion (e.g. Citizens' Advice Service), negating the need to attend court offices. Customers using Llangefni county court will be able to use Welsh versions of the forms.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Antisocial Behaviour

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding has been set aside for costs resulting from antisocial behaviour orders in the Province.

John Spellar: The Anti-social Behaviour Order (Northern Ireland) 2004 was made on 27 July 2004 and allows the three designated partners ie, the Police, Northern Ireland Housing Executive or a district council to apply for an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO) to be made in respect of anyone aged 10 or over where the person has acted in a manner that has caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one of more persons not of the same household as himself; and that such an Order is necessary to protect relevant persons from further antisocial acts by that individual. Implementation guidelines are currently being drawn up by the Criminal Justice Directorate and the designated agencies.
	In relation to funding for antisocial behaviour orders, it has been agreed that the costs of applying for an Order would be borne by the agency making the application within the first 12–18 months of the process and until such times as the true resource implications can be established. Evidence has shown that the costs of applying for an Order in England and Wales has reduced considerably as experience of the system has been gained.

Asthma

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he has taken to ensure that employees in the Province are protected from (a) asthma triggers at work and (b) causes of occupational asthma.

Barry Gardiner: The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 requires employers to control exposure of employees and others to hazardous substances to prevent ill health, including occupational asthma. These Regulations are supported by a range of guidance materials and Approved Codes of Practice, one of which relates specifically to occupational asthma. Occupational asthma has been recognised as a significant cause of work-related ill health in the "Working for Health" strategy published in March 2003 and actions under the strategy are continuing to tackle this and other occupational health issues. A copy of this publication can be found in the House of Commons Library.

Asthma

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals developed asthma in the Province because they were exposed to dangerous substances at work in the last year for which figures are available.

Barry Gardiner: Accurate information on the number of individuals that have developed asthma due to working conditions is not available for Northern Ireland.However, for information, latest figures from the Winter 2003–04 Labour Force Survey estimated that in the previous year 3,000 1 individuals suffered from breathing or lung problems that were caused or made worse by a job or work done in the past.
	1 This estimate is based on a small sample size and is therefore subject to a higher than usual degree of sampling variability. It should therefore be treated with caution.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Paul Murphy: The Northern Ireland Office has spent the following on accountancy services:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 161,354 
			 2003–04 103,748

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total external spending by his Department was on public private partnership (PPP) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: The only Public Private Partnership (PPP) consultants employed by the Northern Ireland Office were for the 'Causeway Programme'.
	In 2003–04:
	The total external spending by the Department on public private partnership (PPP) consultants was £72,633.
	There were eight full-time equivalent consultants employed.
	There were 79 billed consultancy days that year.
	The implied average cost of each PPP consultant was £3,394.10.
	Two consultancy firms were used by the Department.
	There were no PPP consultants employed in 2004–05.

Education Funding

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the implications for education funding of the results of the recent ruling regarding the educational entitlement of autism sufferer, Mr. Paul Murray.

Barry Gardiner: The hon. Member will understand that I cannot comment on individual cases. However, in relation to children in Northern Ireland with special educational needs, it is the Education and Library Boards which are responsible under special education legislation for identifying, assessing and, in appropriate cases, making special educational provision for these children in their areas. This legislation does not give the Department of Education any role in the identification and assessment of children's special educational needs, nor any power to intervene in the process, which is intended to be conducted between parents, schools and boards.
	It is the statutory responsibility of each board to manage costs within the budget allocated to it.

Education Underspend

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the underspend was for the Department of Education in cash terms in 2003–04; and what the projected underspend is in cash terms for the same Department in 2004–05.

Barry Gardiner: Since the introduction of Resource Accounting and Budgeting arrangements from 2001–02, budgets and budgetary underspends have been on an accruals basis. Therefore underspend figures on a cash basis are not available for the years in question.
	I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 17 November 2004, Official Report, column 1635W.

Winter Fuel Payments

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Government have to increase fuel poverty payments in line with recent fuel costs increases.

John Spellar: The Government introduced winter fuel payments as part of their commitment to alleviate fuel poverty by providing help to older households towards their winter fuel bills. Older people are targeted because they are more vulnerable to the effects of cold weather during the winter months than other groups. The Winter fuel payment is not intended to cover the total cost of a household's fuel bills, but to provide a significant contribution.
	The winter fuel payment was £20 when it was first made in 1997–98. It was increased to £100 in 1999–2000 and to £200 in 2000–01. These increases are well above inflation. When the payment was increased to £200, the Chancellor announced that it would remain at that level for the remainder of this Parliament. An additional £100 for households with someone aged 80 or over was introduced from 2003–04.
	This year the Government are also making a one-off, tax free, lump sum payment of £100 to all eligible households with someone aged 70 or over. This payment is intended to provide extra help with living expenses and pensioners are free to use the payment as they wish. In the majority of cases it will be paid along with this year's winter fuel payment.

Health and Safety

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what obligations employers in the Province have regarding surveillance of the health of their staff at work.

Barry Gardiner: Employers have obligations under regulation 6 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 to ensure that their employees are provided with such health surveillance as is appropriate. The employer's risk assessment should identify the circumstances in which health surveillance is necessary, including those circumstances in which health surveillance is required by other specific health and safety regulations such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003.

Housing

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to extend those parts of the Housing Act 2004 relating to park homes to Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: I have no plans to extend the provisions as they make amendments to the Mobile Homes Act 1983, which does not cover Northern Ireland.

Housing

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to prevent the practice by tenants in receipt of housing benefit sub-letting the property to others who also claim housing benefit for the same address; and what estimate he has made of the scale of this problem in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: The practice of sub-letting part of a property can be legitimately undertaken in the social and private-rented sectors with the permission of the main landlord. If a property is sub-let with the landlord's permission housing benefit may be claimed by both of the approved tenants but only on their proportion of the rent and all such claims are assessed in accordance with the regulations. Where two claims are made from the same property they are automatically identified as "duplicate claims" and the apportionment of rent charged is thoroughly investigated before any payment of benefit is made. Where a tenant sublets the whole property, housing benefit would only be payable to the sub-tenant.
	Details of the numbers of sub-tenants in receipt of housing benefit are not readily available.

Identity Cards

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to make identity cards an acceptable form of identification at polling stations in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: There are no plans to make any changes to the current list of specified documents a voter must produce in order to obtain a ballot paper at elections in Northern Ireland.

Ministerial Meetings

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings have been held in the past 12 months between the Minister for Social Development and (a) Mr. Brian Rowntree, Chairman of the Housing Board, (b) Mr. Sidney McDowell, former Chairman of the Housing Board and (c) Mr. Paddy McIntyre, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

John Spellar: In the past 12 months I have formally met the past and present chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive as follows:
	
		
			  Number of meetings 
		
		
			 Mr. McDowell 1 
			 Mr. Rowntree 2 
		
	
	During this period I have had four formal meetings with Mr. McIntyre.

Occupational Illness

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the number of working days lost in the Province as a result of occupational illness in each of the last three years.

Barry Gardiner: Information on the number of working days lost as a result of occupational illness is not available for Northern Ireland.
	However, for information, the Labour Force Survey (LFS) can be used to estimate the number of people that suffered from an illness in the previous year that was caused or made worse by a job or work done in the past. There are only two consistent estimates of this nature available from the LFS and they are as follows:
	
		Number of people that suffered from a work-related illnessin the previous year
		
			 Period (Winter) Number 
		
		
			 2001–02 49,000 
			 2003–04 33,000

Public Expenditure Projects

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Her Majesty's Treasury Green Book Appraisal and Evaluation in central Government standards has been adopted to evaluate public expenditure projects in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Yes, Northern Ireland Departments are required to apply the principles of the HM Treasury Green Book when assessing policies, programmes and projects in receipt of public expenditure.
	In addition the Department of Finance and Personnel has produced additional appraisal guidance to assist Northern Ireland Departments implement the requirements of the Green Book. The NI Practical Guide to the Green Book takes the requirements of the Green Book Guidance and tailors it specifically to the needs of NI Departments. All Accounting Officers have been informed of the publication of the NI Practical Guide, drawing attention to the latest developments and requirements.

Relationship and Sexuality Education

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what relationship and sexuality education is provided to school pupils in the Province.

Barry Gardiner: Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is included on a statutory basis in the NI Curriculum through the Science Programme of Study and the Health Education cross-curricular theme. The Department of Education has provided guidance to help schools in developing a policy on delivering a programme of RSE that is in harmony with the ethos of the school and appropriate to the level of maturity of their pupils.

RUC Reserve

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the Part-Time RUC Reserve were awarded the RUC Reserve Long Service Medal based solely on service to the RUC Reserve; and what the average length of service was of members of the Part-Time RUC Reserve since 1974.

Ian Pearson: 1,048 members of the Part-Time RUC Reserve were awarded the Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, based on their service within the RUC Reserve.
	The average length of service of members of the Part Time RUC is 4.8 years for those who joined between 1 January 1974 and left before 7 December 2004 and 18.65 years for members who joined after 1 January 1974 and who are still serving.
	All members of the Part-Time Reserve who served for 18 months were also eligible for the RUC Service Medal.

Shankill Community Convention

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what Government support (a) has been and (b) will be given to the Shankill Community Convention, established as part of the Community Convention Pilot Schemes; and if he will make a statement.

John Spellar: A letter of offer has been issued to the Greater Shankill Partnership for a grant of up to £33,000 to cover the costs of the Shankill Community Convention. This is the first of four planned pilots to take place in Protestant working class communities over the next 18 months. The community convention proposal came from elected representatives and community leaders and is part of a wider process of transformation within Protestant working class areas.

Tourism and Leisure Industry

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress on the Runkerry Golf Course, Hotel and Leisure project; and what representations he has received (a) in support of and (b) opposed to the project from (i) Moyle District Council, (ii) the National Trust and (iii) Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

Angela Smith: The Department is still considering the application for this major proposal close to the Giant's Causeway World Heritages site. The proposal raises complex planning policy issues, particularly the impact on the setting of the World Heritage site. The Department's Environmental Heritage Service is strongly opposed to the proposal. Environmental considerations need to be balanced against the tourist and other economic benefits of the proposal. Additional information has been requested from the applicant. Once received the Department will deal with this application as expeditiously as possible.
	(I) Moyle District Council
	The Council supports this application as it considers that the provision of these facilities will add considerably to the tourism assets of the Causeway Coast and wider area.
	(II) The National Trust
	The National Trust objects to the proposed development and has requested that the application be refused. Its major concern with the application is the affect on the setting of the Giants Causeway World Heritage site which is substantially under custodianship of the National Trust.
	(III) Northern Ireland Tourist Board. (NITB)
	NITB supports this proposal on condition that it satisfies all the other relevant planning and conservation criteria including that there is no threat of any adverse impact on the World Heritage site.

Warm Homes Scheme

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs are on waiting lists for (a) insulation measures and (b) heating systems to be fitted under the Warm Homes Scheme managed by the Eaga Partnership, broken down by constituency.

John Spellar: The information is as follows:
	
		
			 Constituency Homes waiting for insulation measures Homes waiting for heating measures 
		
		
			 Belfast, East 2 32 
			 Belfast, North 11 53 
			 Belfast, South 14 26 
			 Belfast, West 12 28 
			 East Antrim 8 51 
			 East Londonderry 3 21 
			 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 5 31 
			 Foyle 8 12 
			 Lagan Valley 5 12 
			 Mid Ulster 18 6 
			 Newry and Armagh 6 4 
			 North Antrim 1 69 
			 North Down 14 40 
			 South Antrim 57 82 
			 South Down 8 20 
			 Strangford 9 20 
			 West Tyrone 12 12 
			 Total 193 519

Warm Homes Scheme

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps (a) have been taken and (b) will be taken by the Department for Social Development to increase the number of people making use of the Warm Homes Scheme managed by the Eaga Partnership in those areas where uptake has been lowest.

John Spellar: The Department is keen to ensure that all those eligible for assistance under the Warm Homes Scheme are fully aware of their entitlement and can access the scheme with the minimum amount of bureaucracy. For this reason management of the scheme has been passed to Eaga Partnership, which has been working with a variety of organisations across the statutory, private and voluntary sectors to ensure that Warm Homes information is passed on to those most vulnerable and who may be eligible for the grant. This activity includes a variety of methods including local press releases, information sessions for community groups, training sessions for healthcare professionals and targeted mail shots. Time is also spent briefing MLAs and local authorities on Warm Homes, discussing local approaches to promote the Scheme in individual areas where uptake may be low and performance statistics generally.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received concerning Part P of Building Regulations due to come into effect on 1 January 2005.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister issued a public consultation document on proposals for Part P in May 2002 and received 490 responses from bodies such as trade associations, safety organisations, local authorities, individual electrical contractors and members of the public. Since that time the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received a large number of letters seeking clarification on detailed points.

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the insurance industry on the implementation of part P of the Building Regulations from 1 January 2005.

Phil Hope: Officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have had discussions with the Financial Services Authority, the Association of British Insurers and a number of insurance brokers and underwriters.

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what (a) plans he has and (b) action he has taken to introduce competent person schemes, other than that concerning electrical safety, into building regulations.

Phil Hope: There are currently four other authorised schemes which began operation on 1 April 2002: FENSA for replacement glazing, CORGI for the installation of heat-producing gas appliances, OFTEC for the installation of oil-fired combustion appliances and HETAS for the installation of solid fuel combustion appliances. A number of applications to run schemes, mostly in the plumbing, heating, ventilating and air-conditioning sectors, are under consideration.

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what preparations he has made for the process of monitoring electricians for six months to ensure their competence in compliance with part P of Building Regulations after 1 January 2005; and what the cost has been.

Phil Hope: Electricians who are registered with a competent person scheme will be monitored by their scheme operators, with at least one initial on-site inspection and a further inspection within the first year of membership. This cost is covered by the annual membership fee of a competent person scheme.
	Those not registered with a scheme will be monitored by the building control body for all notifiable electrical installation work. The cost of this monitoring is included in the building control fee paid.

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has held with interested groups concerning part P of Building Regulations due to come into effect on 1 January 2005.

Phil Hope: Officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have had many discussions over the past four years with bodies including electrical safety organisations, electrical trade associations, the electrical trade press, potential competent person scheme operators, Government Departments, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales, the Health and Safety Executive, the Office of Fair Trading, the insurance industry and local authorities.

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the likely impact of part P of Building Regulations on the cost to the consumer of hiring an electrician.

Phil Hope: Where a householder employs an electrician who is a member of a competent person scheme the extra cost should be minimal. Where the electrician is not a member of such a scheme the extra cost will be the amount of the building control fee payable. The regulatory impact assessment for part P showed that the extra costs were fully justified by the reduction in deaths, injuries and fires form defective fixed electrical installations.

Building Regulations

Robert Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will amend part P of the Building Regulations to exempt people with significant practical experience of fitting electrical installations from the self-certification regime.

Phil Hope: No. The purpose of self-certification schemes is to assess the competence of members of the scheme to ensure that they are sufficiently competent to self-certify their own work without having to submit a building notice to the local authority.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his target time is in 2004–05 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in his Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's target in 2004–05 for replying to hon. Members and letters received directly from members of the public is 15 working days.
	Information on the departmental handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament/Peers is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The 2003 annual report is available in the Library of the House.

Council Tax

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister over how many months of a year council tax payers may pay their council tax (a) by standing order and (b) direct debit; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Raynsford: Regulation 21 and schedule 1 of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 (SI 1992/613) provide that billing authorities can offer a scheme of 10 instalments, but also allow them to offer greater frequencies up to 52 instalments if they wish. Billing authorities can also make individual agreements with taxpayers which set out payment dates and the amount of each instalment. The regulations do not specify which payments methods authorities must offer. It is for individual billing authorities to decide whether to offer other frequencies and which payment methods to offer and promote in the light of local circumstances.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the estimate of average council tax per dwelling in England in 2004–05 of £967 includes a measure of the effect of council tax benefit in reducing the amount of council tax paid.

Nick Raynsford: No. The figure of £967 per dwelling is the average before the effect of council tax benefit is taken into account.

Departmental Telephones

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on the use of telephones in his Department by members of staff for their own personal use relating to (a) domestic and (b) international calls; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Staff in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister are allowed to make occasional and reasonable use of official telephones for personal reasons. Automatic logs are kept of all calls and regular reviews carried out. Access to all international numbers is only granted to staff who have a business need.

Departmental Estate

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years.

Phil Hope: None of the properties owned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and its agencies have been empty in the last two years.
	Information relating to non-departmental public bodies with their own land holding powers is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Events

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Mobile Phones

Julian Lewis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many departmental mobile telephones were used by (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in his Department in each year since 1997; at what cost; how many such telephones were lost or stolen in each year since 1997; and what the replacement costs were in each case.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created on 29 May 2002. Since then the number of mobile phones used by Ministers and Special Advisers, and the associated costs (including purchase, line rental, and call charges) are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of mobile phones used Cost (£) 
		
		
			 30 May 2002 to 31 March 2003 3 2,071 
			 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 6 3,756 
			 1 April 2004 to 30 November 2004 6 2,600 
		
	
	The number of these lost and stolen, and the cost of replacement, is as follows:
	
		
			  Number lost Number stolen Cost of replacement (£) 
		
		
			 30 May 2002 to 31 March 2003 0 1 213.56 
			 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 1 0 82 
			 1 April 2004 to 30 September 2004 1 0 82 
		
	
	Information on mobile phones used by officials is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff there are within each of the Groups/Directorates within the ODPM.

Phil Hope: The following table sets out the number of staff in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister by Group and Directorate, as at 31 October 2004.
	
		
			 Group Number of staff 
		
		
			 Sustainable Communities Group: 523 
			 Tackling Disadvantage Group 273 
			 Homelessness Directorate 68 
			 NRU 152 
			 SEU 53 
			 Local Government and Fire Group 561 
			 Equality and Diversity Unit 17 
			 Fire Service 244 
			 Local Government 300 
			 Regional Development Group 87 
			 Regional Co-ordination Unit 36 
			 Ministerial 66 
			 Corporate Strategy and Resources Group 655 
			 Corporate Strategy and Resources 523 
			 Analytical Services Directorate 132 
			 Communication 76 
			 Legal 64 
			 Chief Scientists Office 2 
			 Total 2,307 
			   
			 Government Office Network 1,002 
			 The Fire Service College 241 
			 The Planning Inspectorate 784 
			 The QEII Conference Centre 56 
			 Residential Property Tribunal Service 77 
			 Grand Total 4,467

East of England Regional Chamber

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the budget of the East of England Regional Chamber was in each of the last two years; and what its source was.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister made a grant of £1,874,000 to the East of England Regional Chamber in the 2003–04 financial year and £2,112,000 in 2004–05. The Regional Chamber may also derive additional revenue from other sources including members' subscription.

Fire Control Centres

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate when the location of 95 per cent. of calls will be available to fire control centre staff.

Nick Raynsford: Control room staff currently determine the location of the caller by asking suitable questions. Facilities to automatically locate the caller to the control room operator form part of the FiReControl project which will deliver a network of resilient regional control centres. Currently this is scheduled for completion in early 2009.

Government Office for London

Karen Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by the Government Office for London in each year from 2000; and what the forecast is for 2005.

Phil Hope: The Government Office for London staffing figures from 2000 are as follows:
	
		
			 As at April: Number FTE 
		
		
			 2000 370 (10)— 
			 2001 240 236 
			 2002 260 256 
			 2003 288 285 
			 2004 325 320 
			 2005 325 (9)320 
		
	
	(9) This is an estimate. GOL staffing may change in 2005, but it is difficult to predict accurately as decisions on future workstreams for government offices have yet to be made by central departments
	(10) No data held.

Government Office for London

Karen Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the running costs for the Government Office for London were in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05; and what the forecast is for 2005–06.

Phil Hope: Government Office for London (GOL) running cost (admin) expenditure is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2003–04 (11)16.7 
			 2004–05 (12)18.6 
			 2005–06 (13)17.3 
		
	
	(11) Total yearly spend.
	(12) Projected forecast for the year as at November 2004.
	(13) Notified budget.

Government Office for London

Karen Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the real terms change in the total programmes budget of the Government Office for London was in each year between 2001–02 and 2004–05; and what the projected change is for 2005–06.

Phil Hope: Government Office for London (GOL) programme budget/expenditure changes are as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 (14)2,094 
			 2002–03 (14)2,530 
			 2003–04 (15)2,711 
			 2004–05 (15)3,027 
			 2005–06 (16)— 
		
	
	(14) Outturn.
	(15) Budget.
	(16) Budget not yet known.
	GOL centralised its Programme management information in 2003–04. The outturn figures reflect spend in 2001–02 and 2002–03—as there is not a centralised record of Programme budgets dating back to 2001–02. The 2003–04 and 2004–05 figures reflect Programme allocations. Information on the 2005–06 Programme budgets is not yet available.

Housing

Karen Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will break down the low cost home ownership units planned for Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea in the Housing Corporation's 2004–06 Approved Developed Programme by (a) one-bed, (b) two-bed, (c) three-bed and (d) four-bed or more;
	(2)  if he will break down the low cost home ownership units planned for Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea in the Housing Corporation's 2004–06 Approved Developed Programme by (a) conventional shared ownership, (b) Do-It-Yourself shared ownership, (c) Homebuy and (d) other forms of low cost home ownership.

Keith Hill: The Housing Corporation have so far allocated resources to fund a total of 52 shared ownership dwellings in Westminster, and 43 in Kensington and Chelsea over the years 2004–06. Homebuy replaced Do-It-Yourself shared ownership schemes in the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme in 1999.
	Homebuy (other than new-build Homebuy) is allocated via Zone Agents to the sub-regions of London.
	The north Sub-region, including Westminster, Islington, Haringey, Enfield, Camden and Barnet, has allocated 155 Homebuy, and 296 Keyworker Homebuy (including 100 higher value equity loans specifically for teachers with potential for leadership). The West sub-region, including Kensington and Chelsea, Hounslow, Hillingdon, Harrow, Hammersmith and Fulham, Baling, and Brent, has allocated 296 Keyworker Homebuy (including 100 higher value equity loans specifically for teachers with potential for leadership).
	Other forms of low-cost Home Ownership enable tenants to buy their rented home. They are the Right to Acquire, which is demand-led; and the Voluntary Purchase Grant, of which none are planned in Westminster or Kensington and Chelsea.
	The table shows the split of low cost homeownership schemes by one, two, three and four or more bedrooms for each authority in London and has been made available in the Library of the House. The figures for Homebuy Market Purchase, allocated by Zone Agent to the sub-regions, cannot be broken down by bedroom numbers until the individual properties are purchased.

Housing

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) average, (b) greatest and (c) smallest proportion of tenants on the arms length management company is where a housing stock transfer has been achieved using an arms length management company.

Keith Hill: Councils who set up an arms length management organisation (ALMO) to manage their housing stock retain ownership of the properties and no stock transfer is involved. Most ALMO boards are made up of one third tenants, one third local authority nominees and one third independent members. No ALMO boards have less than one third tenant members. One ALMO board has a tenant majority, with 11 tenants, five local authority nominees and five independent members. However, this is an exception, agreed because the ALMO was created from a Tenant Management Organisation which formerly managed the council's stock.

Housing

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance he has given to councils seeking housing stock transfers to an arms length management company (ALMC) on the proportion of (a) tenants and (b) nominees on the Board of the ALMC; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: Councils who set up an arms length management organisation (ALMO) to manage their housing stock retain ownership of the properties and no stock transfer is involved. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's "Guidance on Arms Length Management of Local Authority Housing", published in October 2004, sets out that the board should include tenants, local authority nominees and independent members. It does not specify proportions, but makes it clear that no one group should normally be in a majority.

Housing

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many shared ownership properties were sold in Southwark in each year since 1997; and how many of those properties were purchased by someone who was (a) already in social housing in that area, (b) on the single housing register in that area and (c) a key worker.

Keith Hill: A table containing this information for every local authority in England has been made available in the Library of the House.
	The table includes, for each financial year from 1997–08 to 2003–04 and for every English local authority and Government Office Region:
	the number of Shared Ownership sales;
	how many Shared Ownership sales were to people who were previously social tenants in the area;
	how many Shared Ownership sales were to people who were registered on a local authority waiting list/common housing register.
	Note that the figures relate to the sales of initial shares only. Subsequent purchases of additional equity are not included.
	It should be noted that figures on the number of key workers that bought Shared Ownership properties during the period 1997–08 to 2003–04 are not available. This is because the purchaser's occupation was not collected as part of CORE Sales during this period.

Local Government Pension Scheme

Bill O'Brien: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment has been made of the financial effects of changes to the retirement ages of members of the Local Government Pension Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Amendments to the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 1997, designed to mitigate employers' future costs by approximately £200 million per year from 2005–06, are programmed to come into force on 1 April 2005.

Mobile Phone Masts

Damian Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to provide protectors under planning procedures for (a) special landscape areas and (b) areas of outstanding natural beauty with regard to the erectors of new mobile phone masts; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: Current planning guidance on electronic communications is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 8 (revised) (PPG8). The general policy is to facilitate the growth of electronic communications systems while protecting the environment. This includes national policies for the protection of the countryside and residential areas, in particular our National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The installation of any communications mast in such areas, is subject to a full planning application. Any such application will be decided by the local planning authority (or the Secretary of State, my right. hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on appeal) in the light of development plan policies and any other material considerations, including any relevant representations either for or against the proposal.

Planning

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the current average waiting time is between the making of a planning appeal and the announcement of the outcome; what action is being taken to reduce waiting times; and what sanction is being applied to the Planning Inspectorate for failure to meet its targets.

Keith Hill: The current average waiting time, for planning appeals determined in October, was 30 weeks; for appeals submitted in October the appellants can expect to receive a decision in about 52 weeks.
	To help reduce waiting times the government has allocated additional resources to the Planning Inspectorate. The Inspectorate's Chief Executive has set up a task force to tackle the backlog of appeals, to help improve productivity and to find ways of reducing the demands that are made for the Inspectorate's services.
	Rather than sanctions for failing to meet targets, the Inspectorate, and its Chief Executive, are to be congratulated on the way they have managed to deal with the recent growth in the number of appeals. In the period to 31 October 2004 receipts were 21 per cent. more than in the same period last year (i.e. to 31 October 2003). Receipts in the period to 31 October 2003 were themselves 10 per cent. more than in the period to 31 October 2002.

Planning

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the financial effects on (a) business and (b) UK competitiveness of delays in processing planning appeals and planning inquiries.

Keith Hill: The Government recognise that delays in planning decisions add to costs for all parties. It is committed to addressing the delays in processing planning appeals which have resulted from the sharp rise in the numbers of appeals received over the last two years. There has been no detailed estimate made of the economic cost caused by such delays.

Planning Regulations (Noise Levels)

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will include the decibel level of amplified calls to prayer as a criterion under planning regulations; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: Planning Policy Guidance Note 24 on Planning and Noise outlines the considerations to be taken into account in determining planning applications for development which will either generate or be exposed to existing noise sources. The guidance states that noise impacts can be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.
	A local planning authority may impose planning conditions which could specify a limit of new noise sources. The guidance does not set noise limits for any particular type of development and there are no plans to specify the decibel level of amplified calls to prayer in planning guidance.
	Of course, such conditions can only be imposed on new developments. Complaints about noise from pre-existing sources would have to be dealt with by a local authority under the regulations for statutory noise nuisance. These regulations are the responsibility of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Research Projects

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the research projects commissioned by his Department since June 2001; who was commissioned to undertake each project; and what the total cost of each project was.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created in May 2002. Since then, the majority of the information requested is available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Research Management Database. This can be accessed via the public interface on the internet at: www.rmd.odpm.gov.uk/programmes.asp
	The only projects not included are in the Civil Resilience research programme and these are listed as follows. They are to be added to the Research Management Database in December 2004
	Civil Resilience Research
	Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down
	Research to inform the preparation of guidance on the decontamination of buildings and infrastructure following a CBRN incident—£61,000.
	National Radiological Protection Board, Chilton
	Briefing on current knowledge with regard to decontamination of buildings and infrastructures after dispersion of radioactive material—£7,000.
	Building Research Establishment
	Development of precautions to minimise effects of a CBRN event on buildings and infrastructures—£100,000.
	National Chemical Emergency Centre
	Scoping study to define requirements for the development of decision making support tools for HAZMAT incidents—£29,000.
	Health Safety Laboratory
	Effectiveness of casualty showering as a decontamination process for CBRN incidents—£24k
	Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down
	Testing of protective ensembles—£400,000.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will list the attributable interviews that his Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004;
	(2)  if he will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that his Office's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Phil Hope: All special advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Sport and Recreation

Kate Hoey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authorities have placed their sports facilities within a charitable trust.

Richard Caborn: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not held centrally by Government.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) cost to the Department, (b) title and (c) location was of each training course organised by his Department for its staff in each financial year since 1997–98.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Training Courses

Charles Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what financial penalties were paid in each financial year since 1997–98 to training providers by the Department for training courses prepared for its staff but which were subsequently cancelled at the Department's request.

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established on 29 May 2002. To date no project commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister via the training framework has been withdrawn and no penalty has been incurred.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Arms Embargo (China)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government support the lifting of the arms embargo on China; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Guildford (Sue Doughty) today (UIN 200354).

British Energy

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when her Department agreed to a three month extension to the financial restructuring support agreements for British Energy; until what date the extension will run; what its value is; and if she will place in the Library a copy of the extension agreement.

Mike O'Brien: The extension of the backstop date in the Government Restructuring Agreement from 31 January 2005 until 30 April 2005 was agreed to in, and put into effect by, a letter dated 29 November 2004. I have placed a copy of that letter in the Library of the House. As explained in the written statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 30 November 2004, Official Report, column 28–30WS, the Department granted the extension as the best means of ensuring the Government's overarching objectives of safety, security of supply and value for money for the taxpayer. No further drawings can, of course, be made on the Credit Facility Agreement following the European Commission's decision to approve the Government's restructuring aid to British Energy on 22 September 2004.

Business Links

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she is taking to enable Business Links to continue to deliver all the services they currently deliver after 1 April 2005 when they will no longer be able to claim full recovery of VAT on their services.

Nigel Griffiths: The Small Business Service is supporting Business Link Operators and the Regional Development Agencies, which from April 2005 will be responsible for Business Link services in their region, as they work through the implications on VAT recovery on future BL service delivery.
	Under the Business Link transformation programme, Business Link branded activity will be moved increasingly toward the delivery of information, diagnostic and brokerage services. However, these services will only represent one aspect of the licensed operators overall activities and consequently the VAT implications will vary across different BL licensed organisations depending on the mix of their overall activities.
	BLOs have still to provide the information to enable an assessment of the impact of irrecoverable VAT on service delivery.

Business Support Initiatives

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how many people have visited her Department's website promoting Access to Business Practice; and what other material is available as part of this business support product;
	(2)  what the uptake has been of each Support to Implement Best Practice in each region; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what the take-up has been in each region in the current financial year of (a) Access to Best Business Practice and (b) Support to Implement Best Business Practice; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: Regional take-up of the Access product is not recorded. However from 1 April 2004 to 31 October 2004 there have been over 300,000 visits to the Access to Best Practice pages on the DTI's website. During this period 100,000 hard copy publications have been ordered and dispatched. In October alone there were 50,000 downloads of electronic documents from the site. Information on the site is grouped under a number of key themes: Management; Operations; Sales and Marketing; People; Design and Innovation; and Communications and IT. There are over 300 downloadable documents on the website covering aspects of business best practice as well as case studies. The website also provides a range of on-line self-assessment tools.
	Since the release of the Support to Implement Best Business Practice product in April 2004 until week ending 27 November 2004 some 1,956 in-depth diagnostics had been undertaken. The regional breakdown is as follows.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 East 191 
			 East Midlands 92 
			 London 284 
			 North East 12 
			 North West 347 
			 South East 226 
			 South West 339 
			 West Midlands 278 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 187

Business Support Initiatives

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with what financial support products UK Trade and Investment assists UK businesses.

Douglas Alexander: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) products which offer an element of financial assistance to companies include: Passport to Export; Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad (SESA); and Export Marketing Research Scheme (EMRS). Core UKTI services, however, also include a range of free or subsidised products, aimed at boosting UK business competitiveness.

Carbon Emissions

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the carbon emission levels were (a) in the UK and (b) in other EU member states at the latest date for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: The following table contains carbon emission levels published by Eurostat. 2002 is the latest year for which figures are available for European member states.
	Note that these figures reflect the fact that the economies of some states are larger than others and not necessarily the extent to which they take steps to reduce the generation of emissions.
	
		
			  Country Carbon emissions in 2002 (million tonnes) 
		
		
			 Germany 235.7 
			 United Kingdom 146.6 
			 Italy 127.9 
			 France 110.7 
			 Spain 88.8 
			 Poland 86.7 
			 Netherlands 48.2 
			 Belgium 34.5 
			 Czech Republic 33.6 
			 Greece 28.8 
			 Austria 19.0 
			 Finland 19.0 
			 Portugal 18.4 
			 Hungary 15.6 
			 Sweden 14.9 
			 Denmark 14.8 
			 Ireland 12.5 
			 Slovak Republic 11.8 
			 Estonia 4.7 
			 Slovenia 4.5 
			 Lithuania 3.3 
			 Luxembourg 2.8 
			 Latvia 2.0 
			 Malta 0.7 
			 Cyprus n/a 
		
	
	These figures exclude land use change and forestry. The latest published UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory figure for 2002 is 150.3 million tonnes of carbon including land use change and forestry.

Combined Heat and Power

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support her Department is making available to encourage micro combined heat and power generation.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 30 November 2004
	I have been asked to reply.
	The Department sponsors the Carbon Trust, who are conducting field trials of micro-CHP units to better understand their potential energy and carbon savings. Our proposal for the Energy Efficiency Commitment 2005–08 includes an incentive for innovative technologies, such as micro-CHP with a electrical capacity of up to 50 kilowatts. This year the Chancellor announced the possibility of widening the Budget 2002 VAT reduction on some micro-CHP installations. The Government are also formulating a strategy for microgeneration, with input from Defra.

Electricity Blackouts

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the possibility of electricity blackouts due to a lack of gas this winter.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 2 December 2004
	Gas supplies are likely to be tighter this winter than in previous years. This is mainly due to the long-term decline of production from the North sea.
	However, National Grid Transco's assessment in their "Winter Outlook Report" published by Ofgem on 20 October, is that supplies of gas, including for electricity generation, can be maintained from the UK Continental Shelf, gas imports, storage and demand management where necessary, even in a winter of a severity expected only once every 50 years.

Electricity Generation (Renewables)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to increase the amount of electricity generated by renewable sources; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Government's main mechanism for supporting renewable energy is the Renewables Obligation. Electricity supply companies are required to source a percentage of their electricity sales (increasing each year) from eligible sources. The Obligation for the 2004–05 period is 4.9 per cent. It will remain in place until 2027.
	The RO is supported by around £500 million of spending between 2002–08 to help develop emerging technologies. This will take the form of spending on R and D and funding for capital grants. This includes among other things grants of £117 million for offshore wind, over £60 million for energy crops and biomass, £31 million for PV and £12.5 million for community schemes. In August 2004 it was announced that a special £50 million Marine Renewables Development Fund would be set up to help bridge the funding gap between pre-commercial and supported commercial technologies.
	Renewable energy is also exempt from the Climate Change Levy (a tax on non-domestic energy use disaggregated by fuel type). For renewably generated electricity this adds £4.3/MWh of support.

EU Competitiveness Council

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times she has (a) attended and (b) been absent from meetings of the EU Competitiveness Council since 2001; and which ministers attended in her absence on each occasion.

Douglas Alexander: The following table outlines DTI ministerial attendance at Competitiveness Council meetings since it was established in 2002.
	
		
			 Date Attendee(s) 
		
		
			 30 September 2002 Melanie Johnson (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Competition, Consumers and Markets) 
			 14 November 2002 Melanie Johnson 
			 26 November 2002 Patricia Hewitt (Secretary of State for Trade and Industry), Lord Sainsbury of Turville (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Science and Innovation) and Iain Gray (Scottish Executive Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning) 
			 3 March 2003 Patricia Hewitt 
			 13 May 2003 Alan Johnson (Minister of State for Employment Relations, Industry and the Regions) 
			 19 May 2003 Alan Johnson 
			 22 September 2003 Lord Sainsbury of Turville 
			 10 November 2003 Jacqui Smith (Minister of State for Industry and the Regions and Deputy Minister for Women and Equality) and Andy Kerr (Scottish Executive Minister for Finance and Public Services) 
			 26–27 November 2003 Patricia Hewitt and Jacqui Smith 
			 3 December 2003 No Minister [Anne Lambert (Deputy Permanent Representative) attended. Only one item debated.] 
			 11 March 2004 Patricia Hewitt 
			 17–18 May 2004 Jacqui Smith 
			 24 September 2004 Patricia Hewitt 
			 25–26 November 2004 Patricia Hewitt and Lord Sainsbury of Turville

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much cover was made by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to (a) Nepal, (b) Zimbabwe, (c) Nigeria, (d) Rwanda, (e) Sierra Leone, (f) South Africa, (g) Pakistan, (h) Mozambique, (i) Zambia, (j) China, (k) Ethiopia, (l) Kenya, (m) Malawi, (n) Uganda, (o) Ghana, (p) Bangladesh, (q) India and (r) Tanzania in the last two years for which figures are available.

Douglas Alexander: The following table shows the value of issued guarantees on these specified markets at current exchange rates, during the last two full financial years. (Zero values shown where applicable):
	
		£
		
			 Market 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Bangladesh 8,410,073 6,237,569 
			 China 31,074,304 13,468,853 
			 Ghana 0 0 
			 Ethiopia 0 0 
			 India 76,970,096 67,497,505 
			 Kenya 0 0 
			 Malawi 0 0 
			 Mozambique 0 0 
			 Nepal 0 0 
			 Nigeria 138,823,252 0 
			 Pakistan 0 0 
			 Rwanda 0 0 
			 Sierra Leone 0 0 
			 South Africa 82,693,692 139,882,828 
			 Tanzania United Republic of 0 2,129,291 
			 Uganda 0 0 
			 Zambia 0 0 
			 Zimbabwe 202,500 202,500 
			 Total 338,173,917 229,418,546

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for cover from Kellogg, Brown and Root the Export Credits Guarantee Department has considered since October 2003.

Douglas Alexander: ECGD has received one formal application for cover from Kellogg, Brown and Root, as well as an additional application from its subsidiary, Granherne.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the guarantees issued to subsidiaries of Halliburton by the Export Credits Guarantee Department since 1 January 2003; and on what dates they were issued.

Douglas Alexander: The only ECGD guarantee issued in connection with the business of a Halliburton subsidiary since 2003 relates to Kellogg, Brown and Root's application for oilfield services contracts for the Alibekmola field in Kazakhstan. ECGD's Offer of Cover was issued on 8 September 2004 and accepted on 3 November 2004.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons her Department and the Export Credits Guarantee Department revised the anti-corruption procedures brought into force on 1 May.

Douglas Alexander: The procedures were revised to take account of concerns expressed by customers and their representative trade associations about the practicality of some aspects of the procedures.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for cover from M. W. Kellogg the Export Credits Guarantee Department has considered since October 2003.

Douglas Alexander: None.

Fur Imports

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the amount of cat and dog fur being imported into (a) the UK and (b) other EU states; if she will make it her policy to ban such imports into the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Establishing whether domestic cat or dog fur is entering the UK is difficult because any such fur entering the UK and other EU states would fall under the commodity codes for "other fur" which includes rabbit, musk-rat and beaver. It is not possible to identify what proportion of the "other fur" figure, if any, represents domestic dog or cat fur. Figures for fur imports into the UK were given in my answer to my hon. Friend's question on 13 July 2004, Official Report, columns 1020–24W.
	The Government are committed to establishing the facts about this issue and to taking practical and proportionate action in response. The Government invited interested stakeholders to come forward with evidence that domestic dog and cat fur is on sale in the UK. No hard evidence has been provided to us. The Government therefore cannot support an import ban at this time.
	A full update will be made in a written statement in the new year, "other fur".

Fur Imports

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has held with (a) EU member state Governments and (b) others, over the importation of cat and dog fur.

Douglas Alexander: This year, the Department has written to all official contacts in member states to update them on the UK position on domestic cat and dog fur. We continue to raise this issue in dialogue with the EU Commission and we maintain particularly close contacts with officials from Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.
	The Department also liaise with interested stakeholders from the NGO and the business community.

Fur Imports

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the accuracy of scientific testing to determine whether products contain (a) cat and (b) dog fur; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The DTI has been working with the Laboratory of Government Chemist Limited (LGC) to establish a scientific test which can readily determine between different species of fur. As reported by the then Minister for Trade and Investment, the hon. Member for East Ham (Mr. Timms) in a written statement to the House on 28 January 2004, Official Report, columns 11–12WS, the first test trialled was unsatisfactory because industrial processing of fur tends to destroy its DNA. LGC Limited went on to test a technology which requires less DNA. Initial tests were disappointing but suggested that this method should not be discounted. During the course of this year, we understand the methodology has been refined and I have commissioned work to test the method again to establish whether its reliability has improved. I will report on the results of these tests in a written statement to the House in the new year.

Hidden Charges

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government have to introduce restrictions on hidden charges imposed by secondary lenders which apply when the borrower falls into arrears.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Consumer Credit (Agreements)(Amendment) Regulations 2004 require that from 31 May 2005 all lenders must provide detail on arrears charges under the heading "Key Information" up front in the credit agreement form. The Consumer Credit (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2004 also require that, from the same date, these charges are flagged in pre contract information that must be given to the consumer to assist them shop around for the best deals. In addition, as part of the Consumer Credit Bill, we intend to introduce requirements for all lenders to provide annual statements and notices about fees and charges. This will mean that borrowers will be aware of the state of their accounts throughout the life of their loan.

Internet

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she intends to take to protect the public from the unwanted installation of premium rate dialler programmes on computers connected to the internet; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 6 December 2004
	The Department has asked the communications regulator the Office of Communications (Ofcom) to review the role and powers of ICSTIS in premium rate regulation in view of the consumer harm caused by fraudulent dial-up internet scams. Ofcom is due to report back shortly.

Joint and Several Liability

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what representations she has received on amending the law on joint and several liability in construction cases in so far as it affects consulting engineers; and what discussions she has had with other Departments on this matter;
	(2)  if she will make it her policy to amend the law on joint and several liability in construction cases to ensure that defendants' liability is limited to a fair proportion of the plaintiff's loss, having regard to the relative degree of blame.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 6 December 2004
	My right hon. Friend has received representations from the Association of Consulting Engineers and individual consulting engineering practices. The Government have no plans to amend the law on joint and several liability in construction cases.

Liquidations/Bankruptcies

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) company compulsory liquidations and (b) personal bankruptcies there were in each quarter since Q4 2003, broken down by region.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Table 1 records the number of company compulsory liquidations in England and Wales by region classified according to groupings of Official Receivers' Offices from Q4 2003 to Q3 2004.
	Table 2 records the number of bankruptcies in England and Wales by region classified according to groupings of Official Receivers' Offices from Q4 2003 to Q3 2004.
	
		Table 1: Company Compulsory Liquidations by regions classified according to groupings of Official Receivers Offices Q4 2003 to Q3 2004
		
			  2003 Q4 2004 Ql 2004 Q2 2004 Q3 
		
		
			 Anglia Region 118 166 146 128 
			 London (incl. PIU London) 267 302 311 262 
			 Midlands Region 151 142 154 132 
			 North East Region 113 114 125 124 
			 North West Region 162 153 148 127 
			 South East Region 192 221 181 182 
			 South West Region 101 110 132 105 
			 England and Wales Total 1,104 1,208 1,197 1,060 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Personal bankruptcies by regions classified according to groupings of Official Receivers Offices Q4 2003 to Q3 2004
		
			  2003 Q4 2004 Q1 2004 Q2 2004 Q3 
		
		
			 Anglia Region 1,093 1,300 1,335 1,329 
			 London (incl. PIU London) 543 649 1,167 1,251 
			 Midlands Region 1,034 1,260 1,218 1,194 
			 North East Region 1,106 1,348 1,375 1,447 
			 North West Region 890 1,223 1,161 1,185 
			 South East Region 1,167 1,395 1,413 1,427 
			 South West Region 1,107 1,349 1,391 1,482 
			 England and Wales Total 6,940 8,524 9,060 9,315

Mersey Docks and Harbour Company

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government retain a golden share in the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	No, the Government have held no shares in the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company since 1998.

Miners' Compensation Schemes

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many contracts the Department holds with Capita in relation to the miners' compensation schemes; what the nature of each contract is; and how long each contract is set to run.

Nigel Griffiths: The Department holds a Claims Handling Contract with Capita/IRISC, which expires on 31 July 2006, and the Vibration White Finger Services medical assessments contract with Capita Health Services, which expires on 31 March 2005. The Department has a two years option on this contract, which it plans to exercise.

Minimum Wage

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being taken to prevent companies paying their staff below the minimum wage.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Inland Revenue is responsible for enforcing compliance with the national minimum wage. Its minimum wage compliance officers respond to complaints about underpayment and take action to ensure that the appropriate minimum rates, and any arrears of wages due, are paid to the worker. The Inland Revenue also use their own information, together with information from other Government Departments and other sources, for risk assessment purposes and make proactive visits to employers to help improve compliance with the minimum wage. In the Low Pay Commission's last full report (March 2003) they concluded that most employers continue to comply with the minimum wage and the evidence they received welcomed the Inland Revenue's work in enforcing it.
	It is of course important that workers and employers are aware of their rights and obligations under the minimum wage. My Department, in partnership with the Inland Revenue, run a publicity campaign every autumn which advises on the minimum rates including any increases to help ensure workers are aware of their rights and employers of their obligations under the minimum wage legislation. Independent research commissioned after the 2002 campaign showed that awareness of the minimum wage by employers and low-paid workers was at almost universal levels.

Mobile Phone Companies

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which mobile phone companies have signed up to the 10 commitments; and what discussions she has held with those that have not.

Mike O'Brien: There are a total of five mobile phone companies who operate mobile phone networks in the UK. These are Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile and "3". All five have signed up to the "10 Commitments".

Ofgem

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to review the offshore licensing regime for gas producers operating on the UK continental shelf to bring them within the regulatory remit of Ofgem.

Mike O'Brien: I keep the offshore petroleum licensing regime under continuous review. However, I have no plans to extend Ofgem's powers in this area.

Premium Rate Telephone Industry

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has (a) to review and (b) to amend the regulation of the premium rate telephone industry.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has asked the communications regulator the Office of Communications (Ofcom) to review the role and powers of ICSTIS in premium rate regulation. Ofcom is due to report back shortly. I will consider Ofcom's recommendations, and the Department will be involved in implementing them.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate she has made of the aggregate cost to business of regulations imposed by her Department since 1997, based on figures in the relevant regulatory impact assessments.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 6 December 2004
	All proposals which impact on business, charities or the voluntary sector require a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which includes details of the costs, benefits and risks of the proposal. RIAs are subject to public consultation and copies of final RIAs are available from the Libraries of the House and on departmental websites.

Religious Festivals

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will bring forward proposals to mark the important festivals of minority communities, with particular reference to Eid and Divali, with (a) public holidays and (b) other official recognition.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government receive a variety of suggestions for new or different bank holidays and celebrations. Bank and public holidays in Great Britain do not, by tradition, commemorate particular individuals, events, or institutions, other than those associated with Christmas and Easter. The present pattern of bank holidays in the United Kingdom is well established and accepted, and the Government have no current plans to change the arrangements. Although the Government do not get involved in contractual matters between employers and employees with regards to taking time off, our policy is to encourage employers to respond flexibly to such requests for leave bearing in mind business needs.
	In addition, the Government already mark religious festivals from a variety of minority faiths in different ways and will continue to do so in the future. Ministers and senior officials attend receptions and events where possible and also send messages of good will and celebratory cards in some instances.

Renewable Energy

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money the UK Government have spent on (a) solar and (b) wind-powered forms of renewable energy since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 2 December 2004
	The Government have committed £117 million in capital grant support for Round 1 offshore wind projects. To date £7.5 million of this has been spent.
	For solar, £31 million has been committed to the Major PV demonstration programme, which runs to March 2006. To date £18.8 million has been confirmed for projects and £3.3 million of this has been spent.
	In addition the following has been spent on research on wind and solar technologies:
	
		£ million 
		
			  Solar Wind 
		
		
			 2000–01 1.7 1.3 
			 2001–02 2 1.7 
			 2002–03 5.3 1.7

Renewable Energy

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the future of photovoltaic (PV) technology within the UK energy market; and what plans she has to promote the use of PV technology.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 2 December 2004
	We have already funded PV installations to the tune of £25 million through our Major PV demonstration programme and £10 million through the Large Scale and Domestic Field Trials. We have seen a number of successes from the programme such as a growing number of renewable installations at a variety of scales. The installer base increasing significantly costs reducing and recent investments in manufacturing capacity in solar power in the UK.
	The Government have listened to the calls for an extension of the Photovoltaics Major Demonstration Programme to give sufficient time for the development of a Low Carbon Buildings Programme (as recommended in the Renewables Innovation Review: February 2004). The Government have acted on these calls and my Department announced on 15 September a further £6 million for the PV Major Demonstration programme to enable the programme to be extended for a further year.
	The DTI has also put effort into removing a number of barriers to the deployment of very small generators such as PV. These include reduction of VAT to 5 per cent. for professionally installed systems, a new PV Annex to Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG22), simplified connection agreements to the local network (G77 and G83/1) and Installer Training and Accreditation Schemes. In addition the Government have amended the Renewables Obligation to enable very small generators like PV to accumulate their production over a year, rather than a month, so as to qualify for ROCs.

Renewable Energy

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking in respect of charges for connecting major wind farm projects to the national grid; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 2 December 2004
	The Energy Act 2004 laid the foundation for the creation of a single GB market for wholesale electricity trading and transmission. Charges to connect to and use the GB transmission system, and therefore access the GB market, are still being developed by National Grid. Ofgem considered NGC's proposals last month, and concluded that further work was required in respect of use of system charges. It did, however, approve National Grid's proposed connection charges, i.e. the charges that relate to the specific assets provided at each site to connect to the network.
	NGC's proposal for the use of system charges will be revised and resubmitted to Ofgem for approval in February 2005. The transmission charging methodology is planned to take effect when BETTA is implemented.
	Ofgem also recently announced that, following approval of a use of system charging methodology, it is minded to implement a discount against transmission charges of approximately £4 per kilowatt for smaller generators connected to the transmission system at 132KV. This is expected to encompass a number of larger wind-farm developments, particularly in the north of Scotland.
	Further, the Government took a legislative power in the Energy Act 2004 to allow the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to introduce a dispensation regime in order to limit the transmission charges to renewable generators in a specified area of Great Britain, if the transmission charges would otherwise materially hinder renewable development in that area. DTI recently commissioned an independent study to examine the likely impact of GB transmission charges on renewable development, in particular Scotland.
	The establishment of the GB market will also remove charges for using the Anglo-Scottish interconnector currently paid by Scottish generators including windfarms, exporting to England and Wales. It will also give Scottish generators including renewables access to the GB market as a whole rather than their development being constrained by the limited size of the electricity market in Scotland.

Small Business Research Initiative

Anne Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many research and development procurement opportunities were disseminated by her Department to small and medium-sized enterprises registered through the Small Business Research Initiative web portal in each year since 2001–02, including figures for 2004–05 to date; and what the value of such opportunities was in each case.

Nigel Griffiths: Since 2001–02 the Small Business Research Initiative web portal has provided information on 98 research and development procurement opportunities, with a total value of £5,720,030. Information for each year is given in the table:
	
		
			  Number of proposals Value (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 10 367,000 
			 2002–03 41 2,404,000 
			 2003–04 33 1,999,030 
			 2004–05 14 950,000

Supermarket Code of Practice

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Office of Fair Trading will publish the report of its audit of the Supermarket Code of Practice.

Gerry Sutcliffe: This is a matter for the Chairman of the OFT and I have asked him to write to the hon. Member directly.

Wind Farms

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate has been made of the likely reduction in emissions from the use of modern wind turbines; and on what research this estimate was based.

Mike O'Brien: The Government's target of 10 per cent. of electricity supply from renewables in 2010 would save approximately 2.5 MtC per year if the equivalent amount of energy were generated from gas. We expect around 7–8 per cent. of that 10 per cent. total to come from wind.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Arms Embargo (China)

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK Government supports the lifting of the arms embargo on China; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Government support the decision of the European Council in December 2003 to review the EU Arms Embargo on China. This review is ongoing—it was last discussed by EU Foreign Ministers at the 22 November General Affairs and External Relations Council. The Government do not wish to exclude any options for the review, nor to pre-empt the conclusion of the review.
	The Government continue to implement the Arms Embargo as set out by the then Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the late Derek Fatchett, in his reply on 3 June 1998, Official Report, columns 240–41, to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Vernon Coaker).

Arms Sales (Code of Conduct)

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he supports the introduction of a more stringent EU Code of Conduct for Arms Sales; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The United Kingdom instigated the ongoing review of the Code of Conduct, in which we continue to play an active role. We are keen to ensure that the Code reflects modern export control developments, such as controls on brokering and intangible military technology transfers, and increases the transparency of member states' arms exports. This will increase the ability of the Code properly to regulate EU defence exports.

Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct the Visa Correspondence Section of UKvisas to respond to the correspondence of 4 October from the hon. Member for Edinburgh West regarding Mr. Thomas William Case.

Chris Mullin: UK visas replied to the hon. Member on 25 November.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Walsall, North of 1 November regarding a constituent.

Chris Mullin: I replied to the hon. Member on 30 November.

Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct the Visa Correspondence Section of UKvisas to respond to the correspondence by email of 15 November and 16 November from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West regarding Mr. Muhammad Tariq.

Chris Mullin: UKvisas replied to the hon. Member on 26 November.

Cyprus

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he is having with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus on the clearing of minefields in the UN buffer zone in Cyprus; whether this action is supported by the British Government; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: We welcome the decision of the Government of Cyprus in June 2004 to work with the United Nations to start mine clearance in the buffer zone. The de-mining programme has the support of member states of the European Union and the European Commission and is funded by the European Union through its 'Partnership for the Future' programme at an estimated cost of €2.5 million. Work began on 18 November, conducted by two British companies, and is estimated to last for just over a year.
	We also welcome a statement made by Mr. Talat, elected leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community, on 18 November in which he said that the Turkish Cypriots would soon sign an agreement with the United Nations which would allow them also to begin mine clearing operations.
	The UK Government welcome any contribution to normalisation of the situation on the island. De-mining is an important step towards this.

Darfur

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the supply of logistical and communications support to the African Union monitoring force in Darfur; and whether equipment supplied to the monitoring force as part of that support has been accompanied by instructions comprehensible to the troops comprising that force.

Hilary Benn: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK is in the process of flying out 143 vehicles it has purchased for the African Union (AU) monitoring mission headquarters in El Fasher, North Darfur. The vehicles (131 Toyota 4/4 Landcruisers and 12 three tonne trucks), have been purchased following the Prime Minister's announcement of a further £12 million of support for the African Union (AU) monitoring mission on 7 October 2004. Almost half of these vehicles are already on the ground, and the full number is expected to arrive by mid-December. They are fully fitted with the equipment requested by the AU, including communications equipment. All instruction manuals for this equipment are in English.
	These vehicles will make the AU mission more effective, enabling the observers and troops to carry out more proactive monitoring, and to respond to specific incidents more quickly. This is part of DFID's ongoing support to the AU's efforts to resolve the crisis in Darfur: DFID has now committed more than £14 million to their operation, from the joint DFID-FCO-MOD Africa Conflict Prevention Pool. We continue to work closely with the AU to ensure that they have all the support they require.
	DFID understands that there have been problems with communications equipment for the land bases which operates in German. This has caused problems for the AU but is being resolved by the donor who provided it.

Darfur

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on reports that 31 adults and two minors resident in Kalma Camp, Darfur, have been sentenced to death; and if he will intervene on behalf of those so sentenced.

Chris Mullin: On 22 November five people were arrested in Kalma Camp, and charged with supporting one of the Darfur rebel groups, the Sudan Liberation Army. In a separate incident on 28 November, 28 people from Kalma Camp were charged with murder. Under Sudanese law, all could face the death penalty.
	All those under arrest are receiving legal advice from the Sudanese Organisation Against Torture, which received funding for some of its activities from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
	Our embassy in Khartoum regularly raises abolition of the death penalty and the detention of Internally Displaced Persons with the Government of Sudan, and had detailed discussions during the joint Sudan/EU dialogue meetings in September 2004. We will continue to follow these cases closely.

Departmental Websites

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department's .gov.uk websites comply with the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines adopted by the Government in 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: All websites on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) web platform have been designed to meet both W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 and Cabinet Office Guidelines for UK Government websites. The FCO has additionally implemented recommendations from the Royal National Institute for the Blind about enhancing website accessibility for the partially sighted.

DR Congo

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reports of misbehaviour by UN troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo; what action he has taken as a result; and whether he has taken up the issue of abuse with the governments of the troops concerned.

Chris Mullin: The UK and other Security Council members urged the UN to make a quick response to allegations of sexual exploitation by personnel in the UN Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). The UN initiated an investigation into the allegations and called for troop contributing countries to ensure that the UN's investigations are followed up by appropriate disciplinary action.
	In UN Security Council resolution 1565, adopted on 1 October 2004, the Security Council voiced its concern at the allegations. It requested the UN Secretary General to continue to investigate the allegations and for the UN and troop contributing countries to take appropriate disciplinary action in cases of misconduct. In November, the UN Secretary-General issued a statement voicing his outrage at the accusations and pledging to stamp out such behaviour. We support the resolution and the Secretary General's statement and, while there have been no allegations made against UK personnel serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), any such allegation would be thoroughly investigated and the appropriate action taken.

DR Congo

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent reports of Rwandan troops operating within the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Chris Mullin: We are very concerned by reports that Rwanda plans to send troops into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UK and the wider international community have made clear to Rwanda that any incursion into the territory of the DRC would be unacceptable. We are working with the Security Council, EU and regional partners to seek an urgent solution to the problem through a process of dialogue between Rwanda and DRC. My right hon. Friend the International Development Secretary has spoken to President Kagame to emphasise that unilateral military action is not the answer to the problem of disarming the Ex-Forces Armées Rwandaises/Interahamwe armed groups.

Drugs (Burma)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of how much (a) heroin and (b) methamphetamine was produced in Burma in each of the last three years; what estimate he has made for the current year; how much he estimates will reach the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that opiate cultivation in Burma has declined from 81,000 hectares in 2002 through 62,000 in 2003 to 44,000 hectares in 2004. UNODC reports indicate that Burma is a major source country for the production and trafficking of methamphetamines. But there arc no reliable estimates for production.
	There is no evidence that drugs produced in or smuggled via Burma reach the UK in significant quantities.

Equatorial Guinea

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his written ministerial statement on Equatorial Guinea of 1 December 2004, Official Report, columns 37–39WS, whether British officials received the Johann Smith notes after May.

Jack Straw: On 24 May 2004 a Foreign and Commonwealth Office official received a fax, to which was attached a report, claimed to be written by Mr. Johann Smith and dated December 2003.

Ethiopia/Eritrea

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to help resolve the boundary dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Chris Mullin: The UK is in close touch with Ethiopia and Eritrea and welcomes the recent announcement by Ethiopia of a five-point proposal for resolving the boundary dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The acceptance in principle of the decision of the Boundary Commission is an important indication of Ethiopia's commitment to the Boundary Commission's final and binding decision. We remain ready to help in any we can.

European Union

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many European Community directly applicable (a) regulations and (b) directives requiring United Kingdom legislation or action have become applicable in each year since 1974; how many (i) became time expired, (ii) were replaced and (iii) became redundant in each year; and what the total figures in each category were up to December 2003.

Denis MacShane: Information relating to the number of European Community directly applicable regulations and directives requiring United Kingdom transposition or action is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Government Departments record individually the primary and secondary legislation introduced to implement EU requirements. Only a small proportion of Foreign and Commonwealth Office legislation is introduced to implement EU requirements.
	Similarly there is no centrally held information by the Government on European Community regulations and directives which became time expired, were replaced or became redundant in each year. However, the Commission is building up a body of knowledge in this area—it has identified more than 450 pieces of legislation which it considers could be repealed or formally recognised as obsolescent and is working to take this forward. Furthermore, we welcome Commissioner Verheugen's announcement at last week's Competitiveness Council to withdraw 100 pending Commission legislative proposals. As EU regulatory reform champions, we have strongly supported the Commission's work in this area and will continue to do so.

General Affairs and External Relations Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs and External Relations Council held on 22 and 23 November; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The answer is as follows:
	Outcome of the 22/23 November 2004 General Affairs and External Relations Council
	My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary, the Defence Secretary and the International Development Secretary, John Grant (UK's Permanent Representative to the EU) and I represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels on 22 and 23 November.
	Conclusions were agreed on: Africa—Peace and security action plan, ESDP, Middle East Peace Process, Iran, Belarus, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Somalia, and Great Lakes.
	General Affairs Session
	Preparation for the 17 December European Council
	The Council examined an annotated draft agenda prepared by the Presidency for the European Council meeting to be held in Brussels on 16 and 17 December. It will prepare the meeting in greater detail at the GAERC on 13 and 14 December. The main agenda items are: EU enlargement, Terrorism, EU financial framework for 2007–13, EU area of freedom, security and justice, and external affairs (expected to include Middle East Peace Process. Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan and the EU Strategic Partnership with the Mediterranean and the Middle East). The Government are largely content with the current agenda, but will discuss in greater depth at the 13 December GAERC.
	Financial Framework For 2007–13 (Including External Actions)
	The Council took note of a progress report on preparation of the EU's financial framework for the 2007–13 period and held a policy debate on the Commission's proposals as regards financing of the EU's external actions policies. The Presidency noted that most delegations agreed with the proposal to simplify the structure of the EU budget. Many delegations considered that the proposed new financing instruments for external relations would allow the Council adequate political control, although a number highlighted conditions to be respected and emphasised the role to be played by the member states. The Government emphasised the need for a budget structure which enabled the EU to meet its priorities flexibly. The Presidency's aim is for the European Council in December to define the principles and guidelines for further work on the new financial framework with the aim of achieving political agreement next year.
	The Government have argued that the Commission's proposal for real terms spending increases of 35 per cent. from 2007 to 2013 are unrealistic and unacceptable. We believe that the priorities of an enlarged Union can be met within a budget of 1 per cent. EU GNI. We have therefore argued for a robust assessment of the value added of EU spending in order to ensure that EU spending is focussed and effective.
	External Relations Session
	ESDP
	Defence Ministers approved the six-monthly Single Progress Report on capability development and their declaration on development of military capabilities. In particular, this declaration included commitments from member states to hold battlegroups at very high readiness from 2005. The GAERC also approved the 2005 budget and work programme of the European Defence Agency, and Defence Ministers (meeting in Agency Steering Board format) also agreed conclusions on the European Commission's Green Paper on defence procurement. The GAERC also agreed to launch the EU operation in Bosnia (EUFOR) on 2 December.
	Improving European defence capability is one the Government's key aims for ESDP, and the Government have played a major role in the capability development commitments which the Council approved, in particular the battlegroups concept. The UK has offered one national battlegroup and one joint battlegroup with the Netherlands to the EU's co-ordinated pool of battlegroups for full operational capability from 2007. Together with France, the UK will provide the EU's initial operational capability in the first half of 2005. The Government supports the agreed European Defence Agency work programme, and the UK is providing the EU Force Commander in Bosnia for the first year.
	Middle East Peace Process
	Foreign Ministers discussed the Middle East Peace Process over lunch. The Council expressed its condolences to the Palestinian people on the occasion of President Arafat's death and commended the approach of the current leadership in organising a smooth transition. The Council reiterated its commitment to pursue the short-term programme of action proposed by High Representative Solana to the European Council and concluded that immediate action is required to support the presidential elections, to improve the security situation and to provide financial support to the Palestinian Authority. The Foreign Secretary agreed with this approach and highlighted that the EU had an opportunity to play a stronger role. He briefed the Council on my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's positive discussion with President Bush in Washington.
	Iran
	Foreign Ministers also discussed Iran over lunch. They welcomed the agreement on nuclear issues and future cooperation following talks with France, Germany and the UK (E3) supported by the High Representative. The Council welcomed Iran's decision to suspend fully all enrichment related and reprocessing activities, and to sustain this suspension while negotiations are underway on an agreement on long-term arrangements. It expected Iran to take the steps necessary to enable the IAEA to report on 25 November that full suspension was in place. The Council confirmed the EU's readiness to explore ways to develop political and economic co-operation with Iran. It recalled the conclusions of the European Council on 5 November that negotiations on a Trade and Co-operation Agreement would resume as soon as suspension was verified. As part of the E3, the Government played a major part in negotiating Iran's decision to suspend fully all enrichment related and reprocessing activities.
	Eu-China Relations
	Over lunch Ministers addressed EU-China relations, in preparation for the EU-China Summit on 8 December 2004. A large number of subjects will be discussed at the summit with a view to raising the relationship between the EU and China to a higher level. More specifically, with regard to the arms embargo, the Presidency confirmed, following the discussion, that the EU was ready to give a positive signal to China. However, at the same time a number of concerns must be addressed, including in the field of human rights, and work must continue on strengthening the EU Code of Conduct on arms exports.
	The Government support the decision of the European Council in December 2003 to review the EU Arms Embargo on China. This review is ongoing—it was last discussed by EU Foreign Ministers at the 11 October GAERC. The Government do not wish to exclude any options for the review, nor to pre-empt the conclusion of the review. The Government continues to implement the Arms Embargo as set out by the then Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the late Derek Fatchett, in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedley (Vernon Coaker) on 3 June 1998, Official Report, columns 240–41.
	Ukraine
	There was widespread concern within the Council over the Ukrainian electoral process, as well as at the likely outcome. The Council considered next steps and they issued a Presidency statement calling on the Ukrainian authorities to review together with OSCE/ODIHR the electoral process and results.
	Subsequent to the GAERC the Foreign Secretary made a statement on 23 November urging the Ukrainian authorities to cooperate with the OSCE to ensure that all proper procedures, including legal challenges to the results, are fully followed before declaring a final result. A copy of the Statement is available on the FCO website: www.fco.gov.uk/policy/news/press-releases. The Ukrainian authorities should investigate all allegations of fraud to ensure that the result reflects the democratic will of the Ukrainian people. We will closely monitor the situation with our EU partners.
	Belarus
	The Council called upon President Lukashenko and his government to reverse their present policies and to embark on fundamental democratic and economic reforms. The Council noted with concern that the 17 October 2004 parliamentary elections and referendum in Belarus were not conducted in a free and fair manner. The Council strongly condemned the attacks on peaceful demonstrators, individual opposition leaders and journalists that took place after 17 October. The Council agreed to continue to follow developments in Belarus closely and will take further action as appropriate. The Government support this approach.
	Athena Financing Mechanism
	The Council examined if the ATHENA mechanism for the financing of the common costs of EU-led military operations could better meet the needs of EU Rapid Response, in terms of transportation of the forces and early provision of funds to ATHENA. It came to no agreement and tasked the relevant Council bodies, in relation with the EU Military Staff and the ATHENA administrator, to continue reflecting on the most appropriate ways and means to finance EU Rapid Response.
	The Government believe the the costs of deployment should normally fall to member states and should not automatically be financed in common. It is important to maintain incentives on member states to improve their capabilities in this area and to find the most effective means of deploying their forces. The Government's position received considerable support from the other partners. The Government are able to provide funds rapidly to the ATHENA mechanism when required, and therefore does not intend to participate in a common fund for this purpose.
	Cote D'Ivoire
	The French Foreign Minister, Michel Barnier, briefed on recent events. Almost all French nationals had now departed. The Dutch Foreign Minister Bot, speaking as the Presidency, informed Foreign Ministers that South African President Mbeki had debriefed him on his recent discussions with the key figures in the Cote d'Ivoire crisis. The Government shares the international community's condemnation of the Government of Cote d'Ivoire's breach of the cease-fire and the ensuing attacks on foreign residents. The Government continue to believe that there can be no military solution to the conflict and supports the UN and AU in their efforts to find a political settlement.
	Great Lakes
	The Council welcomed the outcome of the First Summit for Heads of State of the AU-UN International Conference for peace and security in the Great Lakes region. The Council stressed the importance of this process leading to a final outcome that will lead to lasting peace and stability, good governance, democracy and respect for human rights, socio-economic development and regional integration. The Council re-iterated the willingness of the EU to continue its support, through the Group of Friends of the Conference, to the preparatory process for the second summit to ensure its successful outcome. The Government will do what they can to assist this process and is planning to contribute US$1 million to the Conference.
	Sudan
	The Council welcomed the urgently needed deployment of the military elements of the expanded African Union (AU) force in Darfur (AMIS II) and the leading role of the AU. It will consider, in close discussion with the AU, possible support for the implementation of the policing elements of AMIS II. The Council welcomed the progress achieved at the peace talks in Abuja and noted that there is urgent need for additional humanitarian assistance. The EU has already provided more that €325 million from bilateral and Community funds for 2004 but substantial additional amounts need to be raised. The EU will consider increasing its humanitarian support, while encouraging other donors to provide additional support for humanitarian operations.
	The Government welcome the unanimous UN Security Council Resolution 1574. There is an urgent need for progress in resolving the Dafur crisis and to maintain the pressure on both sides (Government of Sudan and rebels) to abide by the commitments they have given. The Government welcome the AU's efforts to resolve the crisis in Darfur both through the peace talks in Abuja and through its monitoring mission on the ground. The Government will continue to press the EU to consider actively what it can do to assist and reinforce the AU's efforts.
	Somalia
	The Council reviewed recent developments in Somalia, in particular the establishment of the Transitional Parliament, the election of Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as President and the appointment of Ali Mohamed Ghedi as Prime Minster. The Council would welcome the early establishment of a broad-based government in Somalia. The Council reiterated its support for the efforts of all parties seeking peace and reconciliation in Somalia and stands ready to work with the United Nations and all relevant international organisations in supporting the peace and reconciliation process and the transition to a federal state. The Government feel it is important that the international community actively support the framework for a UN led dialogue with the Transitional Federal Government.
	AOB—Guinea Bissau
	Portuguese Foreign Minister Monterio gave an update on the mission of the Lusophone Community which had the objective of promoting dialogue between the government and the military and whose conclusions would focus on security sector reform. Further funding was requested. The Government currently provide multilateral support through the UN, EU and International Financial Institutions. It supports the initiative for the Lusophone Community to send a small mission to promote dialogue between the military and political communities in Guinea-Bissau.
	Development Agenda—23 November 2004
	2005 Millennium Development Goals Stocktake
	Conclusions were adopted which outlined a collective EU approach to the 2005 Millennium Summit's stocktake on achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), via a joint EU report focused on aid resources and new financing mechanisms, coherence of aid and other polices, plus a new initiative on Africa. The Government stressed that the Summit must acknowledge that progress in meeting the MDGs was much too slow, and that changes in policies were needed. The key issues were to increase aid resources; debt relief, where the UK hoped others would follow our initiative to pay off the outstanding debts of the poorest countries for the IFIs; innovative financing mechanisms; and improving trade opportunities for developing countries.
	Follow up to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)
	Member states adopted two sets of Conclusions giving the Commission a renewed mandate to pursue its policy on these issues. The EU has played a prominent role in the ICPD context from the start and its policy and approaches are now fully aligned with the Cairo (ICPD) agenda. But more funding was needed to implement the Cairo action plan. Also, poverty diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, remain a major cause of death as indicated by shocking new figures recently revealed by UNAIDS. The Government are particularly pleased to see the links that the Conclusions make between Sexual and Reproductive Health HIV. HIV and AIDS will be a priority during the UK Presidency of the EU and G8 next year.
	Monterrey Follow Up
	Conclusions and the Action Plan on harmonisation were agreed. The Action Plan was drawn up by a special working party of member states' experts and will be submitted to the Second OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) High Level Forum on Harmonisation and Alignment for Aid Effectiveness in Paris 2005. The Government welcomed the Action Plan. It sets out minimum standards for member states and the Commission when working with one another and partner countries. But the Government consider that the EU should still strive to do more and learn from successes such as in Mozambique and Vietnam, and initiatives in conflict countries such as Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.
	Annual Report 2004 on EC Development Policy and External Assistance
	This is one of the principle tools available to assess EC's external actions programmes. The Government welcome this report as a marked improvement on previous years. However, it is still not the strategic management tool we would like it to be. It should be more analytical and focus on progress against strategic objectives, such as global poverty reduction, the MDGs and EC's Development Policy Conclusions, reflecting the UK's concerns, were agreed.

Genocide Convention

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what obligations the signatories to the Genocide Convention are required to fulfil in a situation where genocide is taking place.

Bill Rammell: Under Article 1 of the Genocide Convention 1951, the Parties undertake to prevent and punish the crime of genocide whether committed in time of peace or war. Under Article 5, they undertake to provide effective penalties for persons guilty of genocide or genocide-related crimes, and Article 6 provides that persons charged with such acts shall be tried. In addition, in Article 7, the Parties 'pledge themselves . . . to grant extradition' in cases of genocide or genocide-related crimes.

Guantanamo Bay

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens (a) are held and (b) have been held in each year since 2001 in Guantanamo Bay; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: Eight British nationals were transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2002 and one in 2003. Five were released and returned to the UK in March 2004. There are currently four British nationals detained at Guantanamo Bay.
	The Government's position has been clear. The British detainees should either be tried fairly in accordance with international standards or they should be returned to the UK. Discussions are continuing on the situation of the remaining four.

Guantanamo Bay

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) the conditions in which detainees are held at Guantanamo Bay and (b) the prospects for detainees at Guantanamo Bay receiving a fair trial; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: British officials have made nine welfare visits to the British detainees at Guantanamo Bay, most recently in October.
	Detainees are housed in indoor accommodation with individual sleeping, toilet and washing facilities and air-ventilation. They are able to practise their religion and have access to reading and writing material. The detainees and their families can send letters to each other. Our visits have found that medical facilities at Guantanamo Bay are of a high standard.
	We have had concerns about the conditions of detention of some of the British detainees, which we have actively pursued with the US authorities. We have secured improvements to the conditions in which they have been held. We continue to pursue outstanding issues.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him today (UIN 200251).

Guantanamo Bay

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK citizens detained at Guantanamo Bay have had their cases reviewed by the Combat Status Review Tribunal; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: The US has established a Combatant Status Review Tribunal (CSRT) process to determine whether Guantanamo Bay detainees are properly classified as enemy combatants and to permit each detainee the opportunity to contest this classification. We are following the progress of the CSRTs and are monitoring the British detainees' cases. We understand that the CSRT for Mr. Abbasi has been completed with the conclusion that he is an enemy combatant.

Guantanamo Bay

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to meet his new US counterpart to discuss UK detainees held at Guantanamo Bay; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him today (UIN 200251).
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had frequent discussions with his current US counterpart, Colin Powell, including on the British detainees in Guantanamo Bay. This dialogue will continue with the new US Secretary of State, Ms Condoleezza Rice, once she is confirmed in her position by the US Congress.

Haiti

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the UN peace-keeping mission in Haiti reaches its full complement of 6,000 troops as soon as possible.

Bill Rammell: The Government work to support an effective UN mission in Haiti and continues to take an active part in Security Council discussions on Haiti to ensure deployment of sufficient personnel and the best use of resources. There has been considerable progress since the establishment of the mission—particularly with recent troop deployments I refer my hon. Friend to the UN Secretary-General Report S2004/908 of 18 November, available on the UN website: www.un.org. There are currently 4,732 total uniformed personnel serving in the UN Mission in Haiti, including 3,769 troops and 963 civilian police, supported by 258 international civilian personnel and about 300 local civilian staff.
	The Government place great importance on ensuring the placement of qualified and trained personnel in the UN Mission in Haiti. In September 2004, representatives of the Metropolitan Police Service provided training assistance to policemen from the Chinese Republic for their deployment in Haiti. The trainers focussed specifically on understanding and practical application of the Rules of Engagement to ensure that the Chinese contingent would have the requisite skills for effective work on the ground. Ninety-five Chinese riot police were deployed on 17 October, representing their first ever police deployment abroad.
	The UK also works to support deployment of trained personnel to all UN missions. We currently have 447 military personnel and 115 civilian police officers deployed to UN operations. In addition we support capacity building of the UN through the Government's WUN Strategy*, an £8 million programme under the joint DFID/MOD/FCO Global Conflict Prevention Pool to enable the UK to run training courses to develop the skills of trainers and to support specific training exercises for countries that provide or are seeking to provide peacekeepers for UN missions.

Haiti

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made in the UN to ensure that disarmament in Haiti takes place effectively and involves all communities.

Bill Rammell: The Government place great importance on Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDK) in all peace support operations. We worked to ensure that the mandate establishing the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) focused on DDK. Resolution 1542 (30 April 2004) tasked MINUSTAH to 'assist the Transitional Government, particularly the Haitian National Police with comprehensive and sustainable DDR programmes for all armed groups, including women and children associated with such groups, as well as weapons control and public security measures.'
	This emphasis on DDR continues to be crucial. The Government are currently involved in consultations concerning the recent UN Secretary-General's report S/2004/908 of 18 November, available on the UN website: www.un.org and the mandate renewal for MINUSTAH. In these discussions, we continue to emphasise the importance of effective DDR, including the urgency of establishing a National Commission.
	The Government also support UN capacity building on DDR. This year the Government are providing over £150,000 for a project which aims to develop a comprehensive set of common and integrated policies, guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures, as well as Headquarter and field planning mechanisms and tools for the planning and conduct of DDR in a peacekeeping context.

Iraq

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what definitions he uses of (a) terrorists and (b) insurgents in relation to Iraq; what his latest estimate is of the number of (i) terrorists and (ii) insurgents operating in Iraq; how many of those (A) terrorists and (B) insurgents operating in Iraq he estimates are (1) not Iraqi citizens and (2) from a foreign country; how many (x) terrorists and (y) insurgents have been (X) killed and (Y) captured in Iraq since major combat operations ended on 1 June 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: There is a definition of terrorism in the Terrorism Act 2000 and there are also widely accepted definitions of insurgency. A large number of different groups involved in violence in Iraq fit into both categories or move between the two. It is impossible to come to a precise figure for the number of terrorists and insurgents currently operating in Iraq. We continue to believe that a sizeable number come from foreign countries. The Ministry of Defence report that in the region of 6,500 individuals have been detained by the UK since March 2003. They were either detained as a prisoner or interned war or for imperative reasons of security. There are no reliable figures for the number of terrorists and insurgents killed in Iraq since the end of major combat operations on 1 May 2003.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons the requirement that information received from allied intelligence and security agencies should not be disseminated further without the consent of the originator was not applied to the Butler Review with regard to the sharing of the intelligence on the claim that Iraq sought to procure uranium from Africa.

Jack Straw: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave her on 17 November 2004, Official Report, column 1552W.

Ivory Coast

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with European Union counterparts regarding the conflict in Ivory Coast; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: During a UK-France summit on 18 November, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary expressed solidarity with France's position and thanked Foreign Minister Barnier for French assistance in the evacuation of British citizens. Both agreed that it was important to return to the Linas-Marcoussis agreement, and that the situation in Côte d'lvoire was of great importance for regional stability.
	UK officials have been in regular contact with their European colleagues, including the Dutch, German and Portuguese, about the evacuation of their citizens and the wider conflict in Côte d'lvoire.

Namibia

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the presidential and parliamentary elections held in Namibia in November; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: In August 2004, the Southern African Development Community agreed a set of principles by which free and fair elections in the region would be judged. We believe the General and Presidential elections held in Namibia on 15/16 November accorded well with those principles.

Namibia

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the land reform policy in Namibia; what recent discussions the Government have had with (a) the Namibian Government and (b) white farmers' groups regarding land reform; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We support the need for land reform in Namibia, but any programme must be transparent, equitable and within the rule of law. Our High Commissioner in Windhoek discusses the issue regularly with the Namibian Government, the Namibian Agricultural Union and other interested parties.

Palestinian Elections

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions are planned with the Palestinian Authority on elections;
	(2)  if his Department will allocate funds to assist the Palestinian election in January 2005.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed elections with both the Israeli Government and Palestinian Authority (PA) during his visit to the region on 24 and 25 November. Abu Mazen, President of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said that the PA had announced local elections to begin on 23 December and Presidential elections to be held on 9 January. The PA expect to be able to hold Palestinian Legislative Council elections in mid-May.
	The Foreign Secretary offered full UK support to the PA's efforts. As a member of the Electoral Reform Support Group in the Occupied Territories, the UK is involved in regular consultation with the PA in order to support the conduct of elections.
	We have already allocated funds to assist the Palestinian elections in January 2005. We are providing £750.000 funding in support of the Palestinian Authority's efforts to establish a Central Intervention Force whose first role will be to contribute towards election security. We are also contributing through the European Union. The European Commission has provided €10 million this year to the Central Elections Committee for presidential and legislative elections. The UK contribution accounts for 19 per cent. of EU funding.

Palestinian Elections

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the United Kingdom is giving to the Palestinian authority for the elections scheduled for 9 January 2005.

Bill Rammell: During his visit to the region last month my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary offered full UK support to the Palestinian authority for the presidential elections in January. He also pressed the Israeli Government to do all they can to facilitate the Palestinian electoral process, including freedom of movement and allowing East Jerusalem voters to vote. Israel gave assurances it would co-operate.
	We are supporting the Palestinian authority financially, both bilaterally and through the European Union. We are also supporting the elections in practical ways, for example, liaising with organisers of the EU electoral observation mission on sending out British election observers, and encouraging an Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe electoral observation mission.

Saudi Arabia

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list British citizens held and released in Saudi Arabia since 1997.

Chris Mullin: Since 1997, 53 British Nationals have been held in Saudi Arabia. I regret that for reasons of consular confidentiality, we are unable to list the names of these British nationals, because disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy under Exemption 12 of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Other restrictions under Exemption 15 also apply; in this case the Data Protection Act 1998. However we can confirm that all except one of the 53 have been released.

Saudi Arabia

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to visit Saudi Arabia.

Bill Rammell: Foreign engagements for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and other Ministers are kept under constant review. It is not our practice to announce such visits until they are firm. Because of the unpredictable nature of world events, final decisions on overseas visits are often not possible until very shortly before the day of travel.
	The Foreign Secretary visited Saudi Arabia in March and October this year.

Voter Registration

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what extra resources will be made available to embassies and high commissions in their efforts to publicise overseas voter registration, following his meeting on 10 November with the Electoral Commission.

Chris Mullin: The Electoral Commission has the lead responsibility for publicising overseas registration. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) supports their efforts. The FCO has not been approached by the Electoral Commission to provide additional assistance. However, we are willing to consider any requests we receive.

Voter Registration

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decisions were taken at the meeting between representatives of his Department and the Electoral Commission on 10 November regarding assistance from his Department to the Electoral Commission in its efforts to publicise overseas voter registration.

Chris Mullin: At its last meeting with the Electoral Commission on 10 November, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) reiterated its support for the Commission, as lead agency, in its efforts to publicise overseas voter registration.
	Although no clear indication of what assistance they require was given by the Electoral Commission, the FCO undertook as in previous years, to make any suitable publicity material produced by the Electoral Commission—such as leaflets and posters—available through its network of overseas Posts. Where possible, the FCO would also assist in local advertising ahead of any visit overseas by an Electoral Commission spokesperson. The Electoral Commission agreed to inform the FCO of any changes required to the overseas voter registration content on the FCO website: www.fco.gov.uk and relevant FCO post websites.

HEALTH

Salt

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on levels of dietary salt intake.

Melanie Johnson: The Government are committed, through the NHS Plan and the recently published White Paper Choosing Health: "Making healthy choices easier", to reducing population average intakes of salt in order to reduce the burden of cardio-vascular disease. The Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency are working with the food industry and others to reduce the salt content of processed foods to reduce population average intakes to 6g per day by 2010.

Funding

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to reduce inequalities in NHS funding between health authorities.

John Hutton: We aim to move PCT funding as quickly as practical to their fair shares. We have already made significant progress in moving in this direction. We intend to accelerate this progress in the next round of PCT allocations.

Allergy Clinics

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, To ask the Secretary of State for Healthif he will make a statement on the availability of NHS allergy clinics.

Stephen Ladyman: GPs provide an excellent service for people with mild to moderate allergies, and refer patients with more severe problems to an appropriate Consultant in the local hospital. People with complex multiple allergies can be referred to specialist allergy clinics; by their GP or by their Consultant.

MRSA

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the incidence of MRSA in East Sussex hospitals.

Rosie Winterton: I am advised that both Trusts in the East Sussex area have clear policies and strategies in place for reducing MRSA.

MRSA

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what extra resources have been made available to Medway Maritime NHS Trust to combat the MRSA virus.

John Reid: We have made clear that reducing healthcare associated infection is a key priority for all National Health Service organisations.
	Between 2003–04 and 2005–06, Medway Primary Care Trust which commissions services from Medway Maritime NHS Trust will receive increases of £61.2 million for health care services, including reducing hospital infections.

Greater Manchester Surgical Unit

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have taken place between the relevant strategic health authority and the Department of Health about the Greater Manchester surgical unit.

Miss Johnson: Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (SHA) has developed the Greater Manchester Surgical Unit in close co-operation with and under the guidance of the Department of Health.
	Assessment of local delivery options is for the SHA to make as part of its capacity planning and local delivery planning responsibilities. All SHAs have recently submitted their capacity planning returns, which are currently the subject of discussions between DH and the SHAs.

Care Homes

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residential care home beds have closed since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the number of residential care home places that have closed is not centrally available.
	Information on the number of residential care home places in England for adults aged 18 and over, at 31 March for the years 1997 to 2001 is shown in the table.
	I understand from the Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that figures for later years were collected by the National Care Standards Commission, and now CSCI, but comparable details are not available.
	However, the recent edition of the Laing & Buisson Care of Elderly People Market Survey 2004 puts the national bed capacity in care homes from adults with physical disabilities and people over 64 at 456,000 with demand estimated to be around 444,000, leaving UK spare capacity of 12,000. The report shows that although capacity has fallen, occupancy dropped by an identical amount.
	
		Number of residential care places for adults aged 18 and over in England, 31 March 1997 to 2001
		
			 England(17) Rounded numbers 
		
		
			 1997 534,400 
			 1998 553,500 
			 1999 546,200 
			 2000 539,300 
			 2001 528,000 
		
	
	(17) Includes places in residential homes, mental nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics.
	Source:
	RA and RH(N)

LIFT Programme

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of the NHS local improvement finance trust programme.

John Reid: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friends the Members for Bedford (Mr. Patrick Hall) and for Ilford North (Ms. Linda Perham) earlier today.

Dentists

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the new dentists' contract on dental laboratories in personal dental service pilot sites.

Rosie Winterton: We commissioned an evaluation of the Personal Dental Service schemes, which was published in 2002 in advance of planning of the new contractual arrangements for NHS dentistry to come into force from October 2005. The report supported the general principles of PDS and identified some changes in activity, including an indication that dentists may prescribe proportionately fewer intricate dental appliances under PDS than dentists working to the current General Dental Services contract. However, the sample was small and it is too early to draw any firm conclusions.

Cialis (Counterfeiting)

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has discussed the counterfeiting of cialis and its discovery in the legitimate supply chain with relevant authorities in (a) the Netherlands and (b) other EU member states.

Rosie Winterton: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been in contact with counterparts in all European Union countries, including the Netherlands, with regards to the counterfeiting of Cialis and its discovery in the legitimate supply chain. The mechanisms for contact include the recall of counterfeit medicines via the defective medicines reporting centre at the MHRA, and rapid alert notices sent through the EU enforcement network.
	Since the discovery, a criminal investigation was instigated by the enforcement group of the MHRA. Senior officers from the MHRA have met with their counterparts from the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Sweden and Germany. The specific matters discussed are operational and confidential to the enquiry.

Cigarette Sales

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether proposals to raise the minimum age of sale in retail premises from 16 to 18 years for cigarettes are included in the White Paper consultation process.

Melanie Johnson: There are no plans to increase the minimum age of sales of tobacco from 16 to 18. We are not aware of any evidence that such a change would have a significant impact in reducing smoking rates in children and young people.
	However, the Government are concerned about the problem of illegal sales of cigarettes to children and young people and has proposed in the White Paper "Choosing Health", that there be increased sanctions for retailers who repeatedly flout the law on under-age sales. The White Paper proposes higher fines and new powers to prohibit retailers from selling tobacco if they persistently sell to under age children and young people.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his target time is in 2004–05 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in his Office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Rosie Winterton: The target for replying to both of the above sorts of letters is that we should answer 90 per cent. within 20 working days of receipt.

Dentistry

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the number of general and personal dental service dentists per head of population in each (a) local authority and (b) health authority area; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The numbers of general and personal dental service dentists at September 2003 per ten thousand population in each strategic health authority (SHA) area are shown in the table.Information showing the numbers in each local authority (LA) area has been placed in the Library. We are committed to a major expansion of the dental workforce, including the recruitment of the equivalent of 1,000 extra dentists and the funding of an additional 170 undergraduate dental training places by October 2005.
	
		Number of general and personal dental service dentists per 10,000 population
		
			 Strategic Health Authority Name Dentist per 10,000 population 
		
		
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 4.38 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 5.12 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 3.80 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 4.26 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 3.68 
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire 4.35 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 3.81 
			 Essex 3.74 
			 Greater Manchester 4.03 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 4.20 
			 Kent and Medway 4.04 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 3.33 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 3.96 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 3.75 
			 North Central London 5.91 
			 North East London 4.32 
			 North West London 5.97 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 3.96 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 3.70 
			 Somerset and Dorset 4.34 
			 South East London 4.67 
			 South West London 5.35 
			 South West Peninsula 4.43 
			 South Yorkshire 3.81 
			 Surrey and Sussex 5.31 
			 Thames Valley 5.11 
			 Trent 3.52 
			 West Yorkshire 3.77 
		
	
	Note:
	Population figures used are for mid-2003.
	Dentists practising in several SNA or LA areas are counted in each area in which they practise.

Dentistry

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental schools have (a) opened and (b) closed since 1984; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: No new dental schools have been opened since 1984. In 1992, the University College London and Edinburgh dental schools were closed with the loss of some 80 training places. We are committed to funding an additional 170 undergraduate training places for dentists by October 2005, an increase of 25 per cent, over the number of home students currently admitted to dental schools in England.

Dentistry

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults had a full set of dentures (a) in 1984, (b) in 1994 and (c) on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not available in the form requested, but the decennial adult dental health surveys commissioned by the Department show that the percentage of adults with no teeth has fallen from 37 per cent. in 1968 to 12 per cent, in 1998.

Dentistry

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of (a) adults and (b) children were registered with a NHS dentist in (i) England, (ii) each strategic health authority and (iii) each primary care trust in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Table 1 shows the percentages of adults and children registered with a general dental service (GDS) dentist in England at 30 September in each of the years 1997 to 2004. Table 2 shows the percentage rates for each strategic health authority (SHA). Information showing a breakdown by primary care trust (PCT) has been placed in the Library.
	The changes in the registration periods from 1 September 1996 affected the registration numbers from December 1997 onwards, so the 1997 figures are not comparable with the later figures. The registration figures for the later years are affected by dentists switching from the general dentist service to the personal dentist service. Patients may access national health service dental services without being registered.
	The population figures for England and the SHAs were issued on 7 October. For the year 2004, population figures for 2003 have been used. Population figures by PCT are available only for the years 2001 and 2002. The 2001 figures have been used to calculate the registration rates for the years to 2001. The 2001 figures have been used to calculate the registration rates for the years 2002–04.
	
		Table 1: Registrations with a GDS at 30 September in the years 1997 to 2004 -- Percentage
		
			  Adults Children 
		
		
			 1987 51.8 65.7 
			 1998 44.5 60.5 
			 1999 44.0 60.8 
			 2000 44.2 61.2 
			 2001 43.8 60.9 
			 2002 43.4 60.6 
			 2003 42.9 60.2 
			 2004 38.8 54.6 
		
	
	
		Table 2
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 
			 Strategic health authority Adults Children Adults Children Adults Children Adults Children 
		
		
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 46.9 71.6 39.6 67.2 39.6 68.5 39.2 68.9 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 51.6 64.5 43.1 59.9 43.8 60.4 44.0 61.0 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 54.1 56.5 46.7 52.1 47.0 52.4 47.0 52.3 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 59.2 70.2 50.0 63.0 50.1 63.4 49.8 62.4 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 59.0 70.1 52.1 64.3 52.0 64.1 52.9 65.2 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 52.1 66.6 46.1 62.2 46.8 62.8 47.0 62.6 
			 Dorset and Somerset 55.6 76.4 49.0 71.3 48.3 71.1 49.1 72.4 
			 Essex 48.7 63.4 42.6 59.7 43.8 61.8 45.0 62.6 
			 Greater Manchester 60.7 72.0 52.5 65.6 52.2 65.7 52.2 65.6 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 51.1 65.5 43.9 61.7 42.3 61.5 41.9 62.4 
			 Kent and Medway 41.3 64.8 36.6 60.7 36.6 61.0 36.9 61.2 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 53.8 64.2 46.0 57.8 46.9 60.2 45.9 59.7 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 52.0 67.7 46.2 63.1 46.6 63.3 46.9 63.7 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 51.5 69.3 46.2 64.5 46.3 65.3 46.9 66.1 
			 North Central London 50.5 55.7 40.4 49.5 39.2 49.8 39.4 50.7 
			 North East London 47.8 49.1 37.4 42.8 36.4 43.2 36.6 44.0 
			 North West London 52.6 56.9 41.9 50.6 40.2 50.2 39.9 50.9 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 56.3 68.0 49.0 62.5 49.6 64.1 50.2 65.0 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 46.0 69.4 39.3 64.1 39.0 64.5 38.8 64.1 
			 South East London 47.6 56.8 38.7 51.2 36.2 49.7 35.9 49.9 
			 South West London 46.7 61.6 37.4 54.8 36.0 54.1 36.5 55.2 
			 South West Peninsula 50.3 71.1 42.3 65.6 41.6 67.1 42.7 67.8 
			 South Yorkshire 59.3 71.1 53.6 65.4 52.5 65.4 53.7 66.8 
			 Surrey and Sussex 48.9 71.0 41.9 66.0 40.6 65.3 40.4 65.7 
			 Thames Valley 37.4 65.1 31.3 60.2 31.2 60.5 31.5 61.2 
			 Trent 53.4 65.5 48.5 61.0 47.9 61.7 48.8 62.7 
			 West Midland South 53.2 67.2 45.2 61.7 43.5 62.8 42.8 61.7 
			 West Yorkshire 58.7 64.9 52.2 60.1 51.1 60.0 51.2 61.0 
		
	
	
		
			  2001 2002 2003 2004 
			 Strategic health authority Adults Children Adults Children Adults Children Adults Children 
		
		
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 38.7 68.3 37.5 66.9 37.4 66.7 36.0 63.9 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 43.4 60.8 44.0 61.5 43.4 61.1 42.4 59.3 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 46.7 52.4 47.0 52.8 47.2 53.1 48.1 53.4 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 50.2 62.3 50.2 62.2 49.7 61.9 26.7 33.3 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 53.0 64.8 53.1 64.6 53.0 64.4 53.0 62.8 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 45.9 61.8 45.3 61.0 44.5 59.9 35.7 50.6 
			 Dorset and Somerset 47.4 70.2 48.2 71.0 46.9 69.2 44.8 66.8 
			 Essex 44.3 60.4 44.3 60.3 43.6 59.1 44.0 58.8 
			 Greater Manchester 51.3 64.6 50.2 63.5 48.9 62.3 37.6 48.2 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 41.3 62.0 40.0 61.9 37.5 61.3 32.4 54.8 
			 Kent and Medway 37.8 61.6 37.1 61.5 36.1 60.2 36.4 60.0 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 46.9 60.4 46.1 60.7 46.2 60.8 48.3 62.4 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 47.4 64.0 47.5 63.6 46.6 62.8 46.8 61.9 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 47.0 66.3 46.1 64.9 45.2 63.7 38.3 54.8 
			 North Central London 38.9 50.7 38.1 50.2 37.9 50.7 36.9 49.8 
			 North East London 35.8 44.1 35.7 44.3 35.8 45.1 36.1 45.0 
			 North West London 38.8 51.6 38.4 51.2 38.7 51.0 34.4 45.1 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 50.4 65.0 50.3 64.4 51.1 64.8 50.6 60.8 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 38.2 62.9 38.0 62.5 37.0 61.8 34.7 57.8 
			 South East London 35.5 50.1 36.0 51.8 36.0 52.4 35.9 52.5 
			 South West London 35.5 53.5 33.9 54.1 34.4 54.9 32.6 52.8 
			 South West Peninsula 43.4 67.6 42.8 65.8 42.2 65.1 22.8 41.1 
			 South Yorkshire 53.6 66.1 53.7 65.5 53.6 65.4 41.0 49.4 
			 Surrey and Sussex 40.1 65.6 39.5 64.9 39.1 64.2 38.1 63.4 
			 Thames Valley 30.5 60.2 31.2 60.6 30.6 60.6 30.1 58.9 
			 Trent 48.6 61.8 48.1 61.8 47.3 61.2 46.6 58.8 
			 West Midland South 43.2 62.2 42.0 61.1 40.8 61.0 40.0 59.5 
			 West Yorkshire 50.4 60.4 49.4 59.5 49.3 59.8 42.1 51.2 
		
	
	Note:
	Combined rates for Redbridge and Waltham Forest

Dentistry

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people in each region with no teeth.

Rosie Winterton: The available information is for the percentage of adults with no natural teeth in 1995 and is in Table 1. Similar information for the year 2003 will be published by the Office for National Statistics on 16 December 2004.
	
		Table 1: Adults with no natural teeth by region in 1995 Percentages 
		
			 English region Adults with no natural teeth 
		
		
			 North 19 
			 Yorks and Humberside 21 
			 North West 17 
			 East Midlands 14 
			 West Midlands 15 
			 East Anglia 13 
			 Greater London 10 
			 Outer metropolitan area 10 
			 Outer South East 10 
			 South West 11 
			 England 14 
		
	
	Source:
	Living in Britain: Results from the 1995 general household survey table 9.11.
	Information from the adult dental health survey 1998 for three large regional groupings in England are shown in Table 2.
	
		Table 2: Adults with no natural teeth in three regionalgroupings in 1998 Percentages
		
			 English region Adults with no natural teeth 
		
		
			 North 14 
			 Midlands 15 
			 South 10 
			 England 12 
		
	
	Source:
	Adult dental health survey 1998 table 2.1.7.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by his Department in each of the last two years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not routinely identify all leasing expenditure and cannot provide this confirmation without incurring disproportionate costs.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what creche facilities are provided by his Department; and at what cost.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not provide creche facilities for its staff.
	There is an on site nursery for members of staff at the Department's Leeds office, which is provided at the rate of £24 per day and is shared with members of staff at the Department of Work and Pensions.
	For other members of staff, the Department provides childcare allowances towards the cost of nursery and out of school care. It also provides an on-site holiday playscheme subsidised at the rate of £10 per day for children of staff members who are of school age, during the holidays. The budget for the allowances and for running the playscheme last year was £220,000.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of refurbishing each Ministerial Private Office was in the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: The cost of refurbishing Department's Ministerial Private Offices in the last two years was £15,000 in 2002–03 and £70,000 in 2003–04.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: The cost of building refurbishment to the Department of Health's administrative estate was £1,978,000 in 2002–03 and £2,840,000 in 2003–04.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has not incurred any costs in the last two years because of criminal damage.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: The Department's accounting system does not collect information in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Mobile Phones

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many departmental mobile telephones were used by Ministers, special advisers and officials in his Department in each year since 1997; at what cost; how many such telephones were lost or stolen in each year since 1997; and what the replacement costs were in each case.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 6 December 2004
	Details of numbers and users of central Departmental mobile phones are not kept on an annual basis. Information is, therefore, available only on the current position. There are 1,102 mobile phones currently in use, of which nine are used by Ministers and special advisers and 1,093 by officials.
	The costs of the equipment, call charges and line rental in each financial year since 2001–02 are shown in the table. Figures for the years 1997–98 to 2000–01 are not available.
	
		
			 Financial year Costs (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 270,000 
			 2002–03 280,000 
			 2003–04 304,000 
			 2004–05 (18)218,000 
		
	
	(18) Figure to date.
	Numbers of mobile phones lost and stolen and their cost are shown in the table. Departmental records do not differentiate between lost and stolen mobile phones.
	
		
			  
			 Financial year Numbers lost/stolen Replacement purchase cost (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 19 769 
			 1998–99 19 691 
			 1999–2000 26 557 
			 2000–01 43 1,332 
			 2001–02 37 987 
			 2002–03 37 2,693 
			 2003–04 29 1,954 
			 2004–05 9 (19)937 
		
	
	(19) Figure to date.

Departmental Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap among staff in his Department.

Rosie Winterton: The Department undertook an audit of the pay of staff below senior civil service level in 2003. This revealed no significant areas of concern and concluded that there was no evidence of gender bias in respect of starting salaries. The Department's managers are required to consider equal pay issues when considering both starting salary and awarding any pay flexibilities.
	The Department is currently reviewing its pay strategy and will ensure that any future strategy continues to avoid a gender bias.

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospital

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospital has received in each year since the hospitals were merged.

Melanie Johnson: Income for the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust from 2001–02 to 2002–03 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Income (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 161,938,000 
			 2002–03 178,597,000 
			 2003–04 192,778,000 
		
	
	Note:
	NHS trusts do not normally receive funding direct from the Department, but receive income for service provision largely from primary care trusts. Figures above show the total income of the trust, including all income from activities and all other operating income.
	Sources:
	Audited summarisation schedules of the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals National Health Service Trust 2001–02 to 2003–04.

Energy Costs

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of recent large wholesale gas prices on the energy costs of the NHS; and what effect this will have on frontline services.

Rosie Winterton: The price of gas has risen by approximately 57 per cent. between 1 November 2003 and 1 November 2004. This equates to a cost increase of about £41 million per annum, including Value Added Tax, on the national contracts.

Gene Therapy

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission research to investigate the results of the gene therapy research referred to in the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee's open letter of 5 November, concerning the development of liver tumours in mice when treated with a lentivial vector.

Melanie Johnson: The Government have recently spent £1 million of funding to support academic research into the safety of gene therapy, which includes looking at the safety of retroviruses of which lentiviruses are a sub-type.
	There are no plans to commission additional research to investigate the results of the gene therapy research referred to in the gene therapy advisory committee's open letter of 5 November.

Gene Therapy

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which research group conducted the gene therapy research referred to in the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee's open letter of 5 November concerning liver tumours in mice treated with a lentivial vector;
	(2)  who funded the research referred to in the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee's open letter of 5 November concerning liver tumours in mice.

Melanie Johnson: The research referred to in the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee's open letter of 5 November 2004 was conducted at Imperial College London at the division of biomedical sciences (cell and molecular biology section). The group is funded by contributions from a variety of sources, such as a Medical Research Council programme grant, the Katherine Dormandy Trust and the United Kingdom based biopharmacetical company Oxford BioMedica.

GP Fundholding

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on differences between practice-based commissioning and GP fundholding.

John Hutton: Practice Based commissioning lacks Fundholding's inequitable distribution of resources, will involve competition on quality rather than price and any savings from Practice Based Commissioning will be directly invested in patient services.

Health Direct

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the (a) costs of establishing and (b) running costs of Health Direct.

Melanie Johnson: An announcement concerning the cost of Health Direct will be made in due course.

Health Promotion

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the first pilot on the effectiveness on promoting health and well-being through the workplace, as described in the White Paper, Choosing Health, Cm 6374, paragraph 25, to be established.

Melanie Johnson: "Choosing Health—Making healthier choices easier" sets out a range of initiatives to improve activity levels.
	The Big Lottery Fund, the British Heart Foundation and Sport England are currently in the process of selecting the first wave of pilots which will commence in 2005. Full details will be published in due course.

Health White Paper

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of the Healthy Start communications campaign, as defined in the White Paper, Choosing Health, Cm 6374, paragraph 38;
	(2)  what the cost to date has been on publicity campaigns for the Welfare Food Scheme.

Melanie Johnson: The welfare food scheme has been in existence since 1940 and information campaigns have been run periodically. The most recent communication campaign was to promote the new application process for pregnant women, introduced on 1 October 2004, that provides greater opportunities for healthcare professionals to offer pregnant women advice on diet and nutrition. This campaign, which is the first stage of the reform of the welfare food scheme, cost £78,923, including the distribution of the materials through the waiting room information service.
	To support this new application procedure and the implementation of "Healthy Start", we published an infant feeding and child nutrition resource pack on 26 November 2004 that has been distributed to all members of the Royal College of Midwives and the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association. We are currently drawing up further plans for a comprehensive communications campaign to promote "Healthy Start" to parents, health professionals and food outlets. The implementation of this and a number of other initiatives announced will be in a delivery plan for the White Paper to be published early in 2005.

Healthy Eating

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that all primary care trusts work with other relevant bodies to develop a healthy food policy for their area.

Melanie Johnson: The White Paper "Choosing Health" identifies a healthy diet as one of the priorities for preventing ill health in future as part of our new approach to public health. We aim to publish a delivery plan early in 2005, which will give details on implementing the commitments made in the White Paper, including the particular roles and responsibilities for health improvement of all health organisations. As part of this delivery programme, we will also publish a delivery plan for food and health.

Hospital Infections

John Lyons: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital trusts in England have equipment to identify MRSA on admission to hospital.

Melanie Johnson: Information on the equipment used in trusts is not collected centrally. All national health service trusts have access to microbiology laboratory facilities that can identify methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus by traditional culture methods. Newer rapid screening methods are being developed and may be used in some trusts.

Invoice Payments

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to his Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if he will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not analyse its records in a way which would readily show the average time taken to pay invoices. 93.29 per cent. of all invoices, in the year November 2003 to October 2004, were paid within 30 days.
	Currently 0.14 per cent. of invoices remain unpaid after 90 days.
	The Department's policy is that; where there is no contractual provision or other understanding or accepted practice governing the time of payment, the Department should pay within 30 days of receipt of goods and services, or of the presentation of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment, whichever is the later.

Laryngectomy Patients

Helen Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which items are available on prescription to laryngectomy patients;
	(2)  what mechanisms are in place to inform general practitioners of the availability of items on prescription, with particular reference to laryngectomy patients.

Rosie Winterton: Part IXA of the drug tariff lists tracheostomy and laryngectomy appliances that are available on prescription to national health service patients.
	General practitioners receive a copy of the drug tariff on a monthly basis through their primary care trust.

Making Amends

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the Government's response to the Making Amends consultation.

Rosie Winterton: Consultation ended on 17 October 2003. The responses are being used to help further develop detailed policy proposals. An announcement will be made in due course.

Mental Illness (Smoking Cessation)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffering from mental illness have been referred to NHS Smoking Cessation programmes.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected centrally.

NHS Plus Services

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the costs of increasing availability of NHS Plus services described in the "Choosing Health" White Paper.

Rosie Winterton: The services of NHS Plus occupational health departments are provided on a commercial basis. Any surplus funds over and above the cost of supplying services may be used to expand the activities of NHS Plus. NHS Plus is run as an income generation scheme in accordance with the guidance issued in the national health service finance manual, "NHS Trusts—Detailed Guidance" chapter 30. It is not anticipated that increasing the availability of NHS Plus services will be a cost to the Department.

NHS Plus Services

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department will take to audit NHS Plus services.

Rosie Winterton: NHS Plus is the title under which about 100 trusts sell occupational health services to non-national health service employers, largely focused on small and medium sized enterprises. Each of the occupational health departments providing these services audits its own work in accordance with the clinical governance arrangements of the trust. The Department does not collect centrally, audit data from individual trusts.

Obesity

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish his Department's response to the Third Report of the Health Select Committee of Session 2003–04, HC23, on Obesity; and for what reason his Department has been unable to supply a response within the six month time limit understood by convention.

Melanie Johnson: The Government's response will be published shortly.
	A substantive response could only be published following the completion of the public health White Paper "Choosing Health".

GPs (Recruitment)

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he is making in recruiting more general practitioners.

John Hutton: In June 2004 there were 31,215 GPs (excluding retainers, registrars and locums) working for the NHS. This is an increase of 3,169 (11.3 per cent.) since 1997.

Timber

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to fund the establishment and maintenance of the central point of expertise on timber.

Rosie Winterton: The Department supports the initiative to set up the central point of expertise on timber (CPET). We are committed to purchasing from sustainable sources and we purchase our wooden furniture from companies that meet the highest environmental standards.
	However, the Department's requirement for construction timber is minimal and is not likely to increase in the foreseeable near future. We have to concentrate resources on issues that directly relate to health. As the CPET does not meet this criterion, the Department is not able to contribute at the present time.

Mental Health (Wycombe)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether Wycombe Primary Care Trust intends to discontinue making placements to employment schemes provided by Wycombe Mind;
	(2)  what day services previously available to people with mental health problems at Harlow House in High Wycombe have been withdrawn in the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: In line with our policy of "Shifting the Balance of Power", supported by national service frameworks, it is now for primary care trusts (PCTs), in partnership with strategic health authorities and other local stakeholders, to plan, develop and improve services for local people, subject to their assessment of local need.
	We recognise that health services are better when management is devolved to the frontline. Within the framework set out in the "NHS Plan" and other policy documents, PCTs, with their specialised knowledge of the local community are effectively able to manage and improve local services.
	I therefore suggest that the hon. Member liaises directly with the local national health service.